T-Mobile asked the FCC to block the access of outside counsel for Verizon to confidential information in the docket on T-Mobile’s proposed buy of wireless assets from UScellular, which FCC approved Friday (see 2507110045). Wiley’s Joshua Turner and Sara Baxenberg filed last week seeking access to the information. “Verizon has not filed an application, petition to deny, or material comments in this proceeding and the time for doing so has long ago expired,” T-Mobile said in a filing posted Friday in docket 24-286. “Given that over 9 months have passed since the filing of the applications and nearly half a year has passed since the deadline for filing petitions and/or comments, there is no basis to believe that affording Verizon’s counsel access to T-Mobile’s [confidential information] at this late hour would serve any permitted purpose.”
New satellite entrants struggle in the face of incumbent operators taking up geostationary orbital slots with old satellites that barely operate anymore, said Kimberly Baum, regulatory head for Astranis, at a space and spectrum conference Tuesday at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder. The related challenge of mini payloads on satellites that don't provide commercial service -- but nonetheless get licensed -- can stifle spectrum access for new entrants, she said. She called for the FCC to look at changing how it licenses payloads or older satellites that can't provide commercial services.
Two Texas associations this week petitioned the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals asking it to overturn a January declaratory ruling by the FCC in response to the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom previously asked the FCC to reconsider the ruling (see 2502190081), which now-Chairman Brendan Carr had opposed (see 2501160041). Commissioners approved it 3-2 in the final days of the Biden administration.
Top Senate Republicans told us Wednesday that they're likely to prioritize confirmation votes for GOP FCC nominee Olivia Trusty much earlier than expected as a result of Commissioner Nathan Simington’s abrupt exit. Simington said Wednesday he plans to depart the FCC “at the end of this week,” as we reported (see 2506030069). Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said he will resign Friday, also as expected (see 2505220043). The departures mean the FCC's party makeup will stand at a 1-1 tie by week’s end. That will also leave the commission below the statutory three-commissioner quorum, posing potential problems for Chairman Brendan Carr’s agenda heading into the commission’s planned June 26 meeting (see 2506040061).
Wiley's David Gross, a former top State Department official on communications, said the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027 will be critical, as WRCs usually are. But it’s unclear where the meeting will be held, with China making a strong bid to serve as host, he said. Gross spoke during a Free State Foundation webcast posted Friday and hosted by former FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly.
Comcast taps Jon Gieselman, formerly Expedia Group, as chief growth officer-residential domestic businesses, connectivity and platforms segment, a new position, effective April 28 … David Brodian, formerly FCC, becomes NTIA chief counsel, replacing Stephanie Weiner … Wiley taps Shiva Goel, ex-NTIA and FCC, as partner in its telecom, media and technology practice ... SEALSQ names Loic Hamon, ex-Capgemini, COO, a new position … Utopia Fiber adds deputy director to the title of Nicole Cottle, who's also general counsel and director of government affairs ... National Wireless Communications Council elects to board: David Smith, Forest Industries Telecommunications, president; Ralph Haller, Forestry Conservation Communications Association, vice president; Mark Crosby, Enterprise Wireless Alliance, secretary/treasurer; at large: Douglas Aiken, International Association of Fire Chiefs; Michele Farquhar, Association of American Railroads; and Farokh Latif, Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper names Madi Lottenbach, ex-Wiley, senior lead-licensing and regulatory affairs … Incompas promotes Keith Matthews to director-communications … Akima promotes Jon Stringfield to general manager, Arctic Peak … Analytics cloud platform Alteryx taps Ben Canning, formerly Smartsheet, as chief product officer.
The FCC’s Wireline Bureau released a series of orders on delegated authority Thursday with the goal of making it easier for carriers to move away from legacy copper networks, said a news release and a number of filings. Outdated agency rules “have forced providers to pour resources into maintaining aging and expensive copper line networks instead of investing in the modern, high-speed infrastructure that Americans want and deserve," said Chairman Brendan Carr in the release.
Terran Orbital appoints Richard Ullman, formerly Boeing, as senior vice president-finance and business operations, replacing Tom Klinger, returning to Lockheed … Alexandrine De Bianchi, ex-White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, joins Wiley as a public policy adviser-telecom, media and technology practice … Changes at Boycom Cablevision: Reid Morgan promoted to COO, replacing Shelly Batton, retiring; Brian Simpson, formerly Cable One, named vice president-operations and engineering, replacing Steve Bell, retiring, remaining as a consultant; James Russell, also ex-Cable One, tapped as technical operations manager, a new post ... Illinois State Senate confirmed Doug Scott as chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission.
Boeing adds Jeff Shockey, formerly RTX, to its executive council as executive vice president-government operations, global public policy and corporate strategy … Greenberg Traurig adds Kathryne Dickerson, ex-Wiley, as shareholder in its telecommunications group.