Bevin Fletcher

Huawei and ZTE have each filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission urging the agency not to move forward in designating the Chinese vendors as US national security threats, which would bar carriers from using the $8.5 billion Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment from those firms. Huawei asserts that the FCC’s decision was not evidence-based, and aimed to single out Huawei and ZTE, claiming external pressure on the agency from Congress. “The designation was not based on a sober, objective assessment of reliable evidence developed and considered through a fair and lawf

A conclusion to the winding saga that is the T-Mobile/Sprint merger is inching closer, with an antitrust trial against several state attorneys general suing to block the deal slated to start Dec 9. Apparently, T-Mobile is eyeing a price cut for what started as a $26.5 billion deal, since Sprint’s finical situation has worsened as uncertainty about a tie-up between the nation’s third and fourth largest wireless carriers lingered. Sprint has also been recently impacted by disclosures that it incorrectly claimed subsidies for inactive Lifeline subscribers.

Sprint reported losing nearly 300,000 phone subscribers in the latest quarter alongside profit losses and revenue declines, and felt a negative impact from its issues with the government’s Lifeline program.

AT&T has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over a 2014 lawsuit related to the carrier’s data throttling practices and disclosures. A court filing shows AT&T has approved final terms of the deal, and the parties are requesting a 90-day stay through November 21 so FTC Commissioners can vote on the settlement.