The FCC's supplemental coverage from space framework draft order would see the service operate in select spectrum bands and on a secondary rather than a co-primary basis. The agency on Thursday released agenda items for commissioners' March 14 open meeting. A vote on the framework is expected that day. Also on the agenda are orders for "all-in" pricing disclosures by multichannel video distributors and launch of a voluntary cybersecurity labeling program, initially focused on wireless consumer IoT “products." In addition, Commissioners will vote on a report raising the FCC's broadband speed benchmark to 100/20 Mbps and an NPRM proposing creation of an emergency alert system code for missing and endangered adults.

The FCC released draft items set for votes at the commissioners' Feb. 15 open meeting, including an NPRM aimed at simplifying the process for alert originators to send multilingual emergency alerts over TV and radio. Also released Thursday was a second draft item that codifies some robocall rules while asking about applying protections in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to robocalls and robotexts from wireless carriers to their own subscribers.

Dish Network transferred some spectrum licenses, including AWS-4, H Block, CBRS, 12 GHz, 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 37 GHz, 30 GHz and 47 GHz, to a sister EchoStar subsidiary, EchoStar Wireless, while retaining ownership of other licenses including 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 3.45 GHz and AWS-3, parent EchoStar said Wednesday. EchoStar said the move "optimized strategic and financing flexibility." Spectrum and space consultant Tim Farrar posted on X that the moved spectrum "is mostly peripheral or low in value, and perhaps therefore more readily saleable to raise cash."

The FCC approved Friday a 2022 T-Mobile application to purchase 600 MHz licenses it was leasing from Columbia Capital, dismissing a Dish Network challenge. T-Mobile reported the deal was worth $3.5 billion. Analysts said when T-Mobile filed the application FCC approval was likely, especially since the carrier is already using the frequencies (see 2208090053).

The 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference “has been a clear success for U.S. interests," U.S. delegation head Steve Lang, State Department deputy assistant secretary-international information and communications policy, told reporters Friday, minutes after the four-week U.N. event concluded. He said the U.S. delegation "achieved many important objectives," including further harmonization of 5G spectrum across the Americas with an international mobile telecommunications (IMT) identification in the 3.3-3.4 and 3.6-3.8 GHz bands in Region 2. That creates 500 MHz of contiguous spectrum in the 3 GHz band for 5G, Lang said.

Republican condemnation of the FCC’s actions since it shifted to a Democratic majority in late September -- and Democrats’ defense of the commission’s recent record -- dominated a Thursday House Communications Subcommittee hearing on agency oversight, as expected (see 2311290001). The hearing’s slightly rancorous tone signaled a return to more overtly partisan oversight, in contrast to relatively more bipartisan discussion when FCC commissioners testified in front of the subpanel in June, while the commission was still tied 2-2 (see 2306210076).

5G is growing in Europe, but the region is falling behind parts of the Americas and Asia, a GSMA official said during a Mobile World Live webinar Monday. Europe is “lagging in terms of customers willing to upgrade to 5G,” said Radhika Gupta, GSMA Intelligence head-data acquisition.

AT&T Chief Financial Officer Pascal Desroches and Verizon CFO Tony Skiadas said at a Bank of America financial conference the companies continue to test soil under the lead-laden wires in their networks and so far have found no evidence of a public health threat (see 2307210004).

T-Mobile will be able to deploy service immediately on some of the 600 MHz spectrum it’s buying from Comcast, in a deal announced Tuesday (see 2309120076), T-Mobile Chief Financial Officer Peter Osvaldik said Wednesday at a Bank of America financial conference. Markets where Comcast hasn’t deployed the spectrum aren't subject to the “clawback” that’s part of the deal, “but the operating markets potentially are,” he said. The deal encompasses all of Comcast’s 600 MHz licenses except Philadelphia, he said. “It’s structured in the form of a long-term lease, so we can go and deploy that 600 immediately for the benefit of consumers with the option, of course, then to purchase it in 2028,” Osvaldik said. T-Mobile doesn’t need the spectrum, per se, but also didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to add its portfolio, he said, noting 600 MHz is a “great spectrum band” able to penetrate buildings. Osvaldik also touched on the dispute with Dish Network, which is asking for additional time to buy 800 MHz spectrum from T-Mobile. T-Mobile and parent Deutsche Telekom oppose the extension (see 2308280055). The license purchase agreement, which was part of T-Mobile’s buy of Sprint, is “fairly clear from our perspective as to what Dish’s opportunities are,” he said. Dish could either purchase the spectrum by the Aug. 11 deadline or pay the termination fee, he said: “The ball is in their court.” Jon Freier, T-Mobile president-Consumer Group, said with the unveiling of Apple’s iPhone 15 this week “this is always an exciting time for us in our space.” During parts of the year, carriers promote their plans more than in others times, he said: “This is one of those periods … over the last couple of years, where it's been a little bit more promotional on devices.” While the wireless market is “a competitive space,” T-Mobile views it as being “very, very stable,” Freier said. The industry showed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting “economic turmoil,” that wireless is “a tremendously resilient industry, because connectivity is becoming more and more central to people's lives, how the economy works,” Osvaldik said.

T-Mobile agreed to buy 600 MHz spectrum from Comcast for as much as $3.3 billion, said a Tuesday filing at the SEC. The purchase requires approval by the FCC and other regulators and is expected to close in the first half of 2028, T-Mobile said. The geographic areas covered by the licenses that may not be removed from the license purchase agreement include markets covering approximately 39 million people, including New York, Orlando and Kansas City, Missouri, T-Mobile said: Comcast has the option to remove markets from the sales agreement covering 110 million people.