Opponents of T-Mobile’s purchase of wireless assets from UScellular, including spectrum, filed a challenge to an FCC bureau order approving the deal (see 2507110045). They asked the agency to review the decision before it closes, which is expected Friday. Commissioner Anna Gomez said in an email she agreed that commissioners should have been asked to vote on the transaction.
International Center for Law & Economics Senior Scholar Eric Fruits on Wednesday criticized a NATE report by the Brattle Group, which found that the U.S. infrastructure market is a “monopsony” dominated by three mobile network operators (see 2507280064). “While the Brattle Group report effectively documents the business challenges some tower contractors face, its diagnosis of monopsony and market failure [is] incorrect,” he said in a post.
Groups and companies urged the FCC to move forward to complete rules for the lower 37 GHz band, including adopting a dynamic spectrum management system (DSMS) based on experience in other shared bands. Reply comments were due Monday and mostly posted Tuesday in docket 24-283. In a 4-0 vote in April, FCC commissioners approved an item aimed at spurring greater use of the 37 GHz band, which the Biden administration had targeted for repurposing (see 2504280032).
There's a wide gap between what carriers will pay to construct wireless infrastructure and the costs builders face, NATE said in a report released Monday. The report comes as NATE negotiates framework agreements resetting the relationship between members of the group and the major carriers (see 2507140033).
An FCC NPRM exploring faster retirement of aging copper telecom facilities had numerous changes from the draft, as did a pole attachment item, based on side-by-side comparisons. The copper retirement NPRM was posted in Monday’s Daily Digest. Commissioners last week approved both items 3-0 (see 2507240048).
Iridium shares tumbled Thursday as the company announced Q2 results that included lowering its services revenue outlook for 2025. In a call with analysts, CEO Matt Desch said service revenue is expected to grow 3%-5% this year, instead of its previous forecast of 5%-7%. Desch chalked up that lower estimate to increased maritime broadband competition, voice subscriptions losses related to canceled U.S. Agency for International Development funding and some positioning, navigation and timing revenue that is now expected to arrive in 2026 instead of this year. William Blair's Louie DiPalma wrote investors that SpaceX was "the primary culprit," with maritime customers shifting from Iridium's satellite network to Starlink. Though many of those customers still use Iridium as a backup, that arrangement generates less revenue, he said. While Iridium expects broadband pricing pressure into 2026, the company raised prices for its commercial satellite phone plans on July 1, which is expected to result in satellite phone service revenue growth accelerating in the second half, DiPalma said. Desch said Iridium has signed several memorandums of understanding with mobile network operators for Iridium's NTN Direct narrowband IoT service, with NTN Direct to launch in 2026. Iridium stock closed Thursday at $25.26, down $7.17.
The FCC's 2022 quadrennial review will be "inspired" by the 8th U.S. Court of Appeals decision on the 2018 QR (see 2507230063), said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a news conference Thursday. Carr pointed to the court's analysis of statutory language as informing the FCC's review. The 8th Circuit ruled that the language requiring FCC quadrennial reviews allows the agency only to loosen rules that are no longer in the public interest, not expand existing rules. The decision's elimination of the top-four prohibition means the agency's QR inquiry can be narrower, he said. The agency "obviously has to move forward with the quad," Carr said.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told reporters Thursday he wasn’t surprised by DOJ's analysis of T-Mobile’s buy of UScellular wireless assets (see 2507110045). Gail Slater, Antitrust Division chief, raised concerns about the loss of UScellular as a competitor and the overall competitiveness of the U.S. wireless sector. “The stark facts of today merit our immediate attention: together, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the United States,” Slater said.
AST SpaceMobile is facing growing global opposition from the amateur radio universe about plans to use the 430-440 MHz band for telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) (see 2507170030). Since last Wednesday, docket 25-201 has received more than 2,100 submissions -- most from amateur radio advocates. Comments were due Monday on AST's request to use the band and operate an additional 243 satellites atop the five already authorized (see 2506200061).
New York will soon be the latest state to make incarcerated individuals' phone calls free in an effort to increase communication accessibility and improve prison safety. Five states -- California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Minnesota -- have already made phone calls free in their facilities. The New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced Tuesday that the change will take effect Aug. 1.