The FCC restarted the 180-day informal shot clock on its review of T-Mobile buying Sprint Thursday, at day 122. It paused the shot clock in early March, seeking additional comment on new data from the companies (see 1903070045). The 4Competition Coalition said none of the late data submissions by the two carriers makes a bad deal better. The group said: “The evidence in the record is clear: None of these submissions change the reality that this merger would mean more concentration, less competition, and higher prices for millions of American consumers. As the shot clock resumes, we look forward to the completion of the thorough review process and, ultimately, the rejection of this merger.” Completion of the deal would mean more jobs, from the beginning, T-Mobile CEO John Legere blogged Thursday. “This merger is all about creating new, high-quality, high-paying jobs, and the New T-Mobile will be jobs-positive from Day One and every day thereafter. That’s not just a promise. That’s not just a commitment.” The combined company will create nearly 5,600 new American customer care jobs by 2021, he said: “New T-Mobile will employ 7,500+ more care professionals by 2024 than the standalone companies would have.” A top T-Mobile official expressed optimism Thursday. “We are very optimistic about the combination and its approval,” T-Mobile Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray said at the CTIA 5G summit (see 1904040048). The two companies are “moving the ball up the field,” he said. “We are scoring big points.” T-Mobile and Sprint reached agreement with Hawaii’s consumer advocate to clear the path to state OK, the carriers and advocate told the Public Utilities Commission. In a letter posted Thursday, they urged the PUC to adopt parties’ stipulation and OK the deal before June 1, the expected end date of the FCC’s review. The carriers agreed to “strive to deliver” 5G coverage to 90 percent of its Hawaii points of presence within three to five years of the deal closing, and annually meet with the consumer advocate and PUC to review T-Mobile Form 477 data through 2024. The carriers also need state OKs from California and Pennsylvania.
Sonos revised its privacy statement Wednesday ahead of a software update adding new features. One addition, called “Recently Played,” will allow users quick access to the last 40 tracks they listened to at home, said Sonos. Users who don’t want to use the new personalization features can go into an advanced section in settings and turn off “additional usage data,” it said.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks faced questions on the outlook for the Mobility Fund Phase II program in a closed-door meeting with the House Rural Broadband Caucus, said attendees. Work on the fund has stalled since last year when the FCC launched an investigation of potential wrongdoing in MF-II and scheduled an auction.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks faced questions on the outlook for the Mobility Fund Phase II program in a closed-door meeting with the House Rural Broadband Caucus, said attendees. Work on the fund has stalled since last year when the FCC launched an investigation of potential wrongdoing in MF-II and scheduled an auction.
Former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn made headlines in February when she became part of the growing team supporting T-Mobile’s buy of Sprint (see 1902040064). The move was a surprise since Clyburn is best known for working on such issues as curbing prison calling rates and preserving the Lifeline program. Clyburn said she's doing no lobbying in Congress and ethics rules bar her from outreach to the FCC (see 1903050071). Industry officials said she has likely had a net positive effect.
Former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn made headlines in February when she became part of the growing team supporting T-Mobile’s buy of Sprint (see 1902040064). The move was a surprise since Clyburn is best known for working on such issues as curbing prison calling rates and preserving the Lifeline program. Clyburn said she's doing no lobbying in Congress and ethics rules bar her from outreach to the FCC (see 1903050071). Industry officials said she has likely had a net positive effect.
ARRL, which represents amateur radio operators, asked the FCC for a pause in docket 16-239, which proposes to remove limitations on the symbol, or baud, rate, applicable to data emissions in some amateur bands. The FCC sought comment in July 2016. ARRL asked for a pause “for the purpose of facilitating discussion among commenters of differences expressed in the record of this proceeding.” ARRL said, “We intend our effort to reach a common understanding of issues and to agree on proposals insofar as possible.” The filing was posted Thursday.
Challenges to FCC wireless and wireline infrastructure orders will be paused, pending review by a special master, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. Challenges by Sprint and 11 others to a September order restricting local fees and reviews of small-cell siting applications were consolidated under Sprint v. FCC, No. 19-70123, said an order (in Pacer) of Judges Richard Tallman and Mary Murguia. The September order case will be assigned to the same merits panel that reviews Portland and American Electric Power Service challenges to an August ruling/order barring local infrastructure moratoriums and revising pole-attachment processes. The latter two were also consolidated under Portland v. FCC, No. 18-72689, said another order (in Pacer) of the two judges. The court referred all the cases to its special master, Appellate Commissioner Peter Shaw, for a case management conference he will schedule. “The special master shall consider any issues he deems appropriate to manage the petitions effectively, including but not limited to the development of a briefing plan for the above-listed twelve petitions,” said the first order. The judges granted in part the FCC’s motion, opposed by localities (see 1903070059), to hold the Sprint case in abeyance. Noting the FCC's request to continue a stay in the Portland case, the second order stayed the now-consolidated case pending the conference. “Proceedings in these consolidated petitions other than the case management conference are stayed pending [that] conference,” said both orders: "Briefing is suspended pending further order of the court following the ... conference." The decisions mean “we’re in abeyance for what I hope will be a short period of time,” emailed local government attorney Ken Fellman. “Given the number of parties, different case filings and complexity of the issues, we’ve thought that a case management conference would be necessary to delineate the process of getting from here to a decision.” Local governments are pleased because the FCC had "asked for an indefinite abeyance," but the court "simply delayed matters until after the scheduling issues can be considered at a case management conference," said Best Best attorney Joseph Van Eaton. "We are hopeful that the process established by the 9th Circuit will result in expedited resolution of this appeal. At the very least, we suspect the FCC will be asked to explain why it has not decided the pending reconsideration petitions." The agency didn’t comment.
Universal Service Administrative Co. is working to enhance its Lifeline national verifier (NV) of consumer eligibility, said Michelle Garber, USAC vice president-Lifeline, noting some changes will take time or could require more FCC direction. She acknowledged the NV's lack of greater access to government databases, particularly in less-populated rural states, increased initial verification failure rates, but said access to a key Medicaid national database is coming. "I don't think it's a question of if that'll happen; it's a question of when," she told us recently. "I feel like it'll happen this year."
Universal Service Administrative Co. is working to enhance its Lifeline national verifier (NV) of consumer eligibility, said Michelle Garber, USAC vice president-Lifeline, noting some changes will take time or could require more FCC direction. She acknowledged the NV's lack of greater access to government databases, particularly in less-populated rural states, increased initial verification failure rates, but said access to a key Medicaid national database is coming. "I don't think it's a question of if that'll happen; it's a question of when," she told us recently. "I feel like it'll happen this year."