Wireless Telecommunications

The Federal Communications Commission has granted a request for temporary access to spectrum to improve access to wireless broadband services in Harlan County, Kentucky during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Special Temporary Authority granted today gives Harlan 2-Way, Inc. access to spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band for 60 days.

Things have now come to an all-out war between the Department of Defense and the Federal Communications Commission, with the Defense Department claiming that a recent decision by the FCC (on a 5-0 bipartisan vote) resolving a decades-long dispute with a company now called Ligado will interfere with vital GPS operations.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announces that Eutelsat SA, Intelsat US LLC, SES Americom, Claro S.A. f/k/a Star One S.A.

The Federal Communications Commission has granted an emergency Special Temporary Authority request filed by the Makah Tribe to use unassigned spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band to provide wireless broadband service over its reservation as part of its emergency COVID-19 pandemic response. The Tribe is located within Washington State. The temporary grant of authority is effective for 60 days.

Verizon executive Ronan Dunne, group CEO for Verizon Consumer, laid out a vision for Verizon 5G Home that foresees a time when consumers will buy home broadband service in the same way they buy wireless service today. It is just buying another line, or another device in Dunne’s vision, just like consumers do today with their wireless buying habits. “The nature of the line between the wireless business and wireline business is blurring,” said Dunne.

The days of Dish and T-Mobile playing nice may be coming to an end. On March 13, during the height of the coronavirus crisis, Dish lent its portfolio of 600 MHz spectrum to T-Mobile at no cost for 60 days in order to bolster wireless capacity during the pandemic. Recently, T-Mobile asked Dish for an extension of its 600 MHz spectrum loan until June 30. T-Mobile says the continued use of Dish’s spectrum is necessary to support the needs of customers who are still working and learning from home.

In joint letters Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Christopher Krebs encouraged the nation's governors to provide necessary access and resources to the communications workers helping to keep Americans connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The FCC and CISA recommend the governors:

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, on behalf of the executive branch, particularly the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Transportation (DoT), respectfully petitions the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider or, in the alternative, to clarify its Order and Authorization. NTIA also requests that the FCC rescind its approval of the mobile-satellite service (MSS) license modification applications conditionally granted to Ligado Networks, which will cause irreparable harms to federal government users of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

In accordance with the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, on behalf of the Executive Branch, is requesting comments to inform the development of an Implementation Plan for the National Strategy to Secure 5G. The Strategy is focused on four lines of effort: (1) facilitating domestic 5G rollout; (2) assessing the cybersecurity risks to and identifying core security principles of 5G capabilities and infrastructure; (3) addressing risks to United States economic and national security during development and deployment of 5G infrastru

The Trump administration is signaling a broader crackdown on the Chinese communications sector — well beyond the companies that have already come under harsh US scrutiny. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Hickey said that the government’s past objections to powerful Chinese telecommunications players operating in the US may provide a blueprint for the Federal Communications Commission to pursue other firms as well. “We’re concerned about providers that are subject to the undue influence and control of the Chinese government,” said Hickey.