Simington: EchoStar Probes 'Extremely Market-Disruptive'
Former FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington is criticizing the agency's EchoStar probes as having the potential to be "seriously market-disruptive, and even to impair American national security." He wrote this week that the threat EchoStar faces of numerous spectrum license revocations…
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"places every holder of a spectrum license in a riskier position and will raise consumer prices by forcing every licensee, not just EchoStar, to charge higher risk premiums." The commission is probing whether EchoStar is using the 2 GHz band for mobile satellite service consistent with its authorizations, while it also seeks comment on VTel Wireless' recon petition on an extension of EchoStar's 5G network buildout deadlines (see 2505130003). Given that EchoStar has claimed to meet its 5G network buildout commitments, "moving to threaten its licenses seems extremely market-disruptive out of proportion to any claimed offense," Simington said.