AT&T has completed its purchase of 700 MHz and 3.45 GHz licenses from the former UScellular for $1 billion, said TDS, the smaller carrier’s parent company, on Tuesday. The FCC Wireless Bureau approved the deal in December (see 2512030059). UScellular was renamed Array as it exits as a regional wireless carrier.
Radio astronomical uses of the upper C-band spectrum are “diverse,” the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) said as it provided data to the FCC related to an NPRM that commissioners approved in November (see 2511240048). The NPRM asks about coordination between radio astronomy sites and wireless operations in the band. Initial comments are due next week in docket 25-59.
Recent FCC changes to the U.S. table of frequency allocations, released last month, take effect Feb. 13, said a notice for Wednesday’s Federal Register. The changes implement actions of the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2015, including those affecting amateur radio, satellite and aural broadcast auxiliary and TV broadcast auxiliary stations, the notice said. The FCC said in a second notice that comments on an NPRM regarding changes tied to the WRC in 2019 are due Feb. 13, replies March 16, in docket 23-121.
Boldyn Networks said Tuesday that it was selected by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to build and manage a next-generation 5G distributed antenna system across 1 million square feet of terminal, concourses, parking garage and rental car facility space. The airport is the 11th busiest in the U.S.
Jamie Hastings, CTIA's senior vice president of external and state affairs, will retire at the end of the month after nearly 15 years at the association, CTIA said Monday. Hastings led the group’s state and local advocacy efforts, including on small-cell infrastructure reform. She also led its educational programming for state lawmakers and third parties and served as secretary of the CTIA Wireless Foundation.
Free State Foundation President Randolph May laid out in a filing Monday the case for a pilot program before the FCC approves an order allowing prison officials to more broadly jam cellphone signals. Industry experts say a pilot may be the FCC’s best option, given the level of concern raised by the wireless industry (see 2601020006). Reply comments were due Monday in docket 13-111.
A judge for the U.S. District Court for Northern Indiana on Friday upheld a decision by the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) in Elkhart, Indiana, to deny Verizon Wireless’ application to build a 135-foot monopole. In 2024, the court found that by not issuing a written reason, the city improperly denied the carrier’s application and sent the matter back to the BZA for further work (see 2409090036), which the board did. The case comes as industry urges the FCC to revise its rules to speed deployments (see 2601050029).
Network application programming interfaces (APIs) can enable carriers “to move beyond traditional connectivity and provide new levels of control and functionality to manufacturers, which can drive business growth, operational efficiency, and new revenue streams,” GSMA said in a white paper released Friday. APIs can also play a major role in strengthening network security, “an imperative given that 68% of manufacturers now consider cybersecurity their top digital transformation priority.” GSMA launched an open API initiative in 2023 (see 2302270069), though carriers are still figuring out how to monetize them (see 2512040029).
AT&T introduced IoT Network Intelligence on Thursday, aimed at business management of IoT devices. The offering, whose launch was timed to CES, allows companies to “monitor and analyze key performance indicators -- such as signal strength, data throughput, and latency -- to support troubleshooting and faster issue investigation,” AT&T said. It will also help identify “device-level performance outliers” and “highlight opportunities for improvement.”
The FCC Wireless Bureau approved TelAlaska Cellular’s revised performance plan Thursday. With fiber middle mile now available, TelAlaska’s latest revised performance plan “increases the number of Alaskans that it commits to serve with 4G LTE at 10/1 Mbps from 3,598 to 10,082,” the bureau said. “TelAlaska further commits to serve all 15,198 Alaskans in its footprint with at least 4G LTE technology” by Dec. 31.