AT&T’s anticipated move of D.C. representation for its wireless and wireline operations into one office doesn’t mean it will march in lockstep with traditional Bell positions, sources said. AT&T announced Fri. the Cingular brand will start to disappear this week as it launches what is expected to be a massive rebranding campaign.
Howard Buskirk
Howard Buskirk, Executive Senior Editor, joined Warren Communications News in 2004, after covering Capitol Hill for Telecommunications Reports. He has covered Washington since 1993 and was formerly executive editor at Energy Business Watch, editor at Gas Daily and managing editor at Natural Gas Week. Previous to that, he was a staff reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Greenville News. Follow Buskirk on Twitter: @hbuskirk
Wireless issues are expected to come to the fore at the FCC the next few months. Most early matters follow up on items in the works last year. Preparation for the 700 MHz auction, federal vs. state jurisdiction over early termination fees (ETF), and rules governing carrier protection of customer proprietary network information (CPNI) head most lists of issues likely to get attention soon.
SpectrumCo, a consortium of Sprint Nextel and the major cable operators, indicated in a filing at the FCC its strong interest in 700 MHz spectrum when that auction occurs later this year. In a paper, SpectrumCo said if the FCC wants a successful auction it should offer a wide variety of licenses, large and small. SpectrumCo, a top bidder in Auction 66 for advanced wireless services, likely needs more spectrum to offer a robust wireless product, sources said.
Environmental and industry groups’ representatives are meeting to narrow differences on wireless towers and bird deaths. CTIA, PCIA, NAB, the American Bird Conservancy, the National Assn. of Tower Erectors, Environmental Defense and others asked the FCC to extend by 90 days the deadline for comments on possible rule changes. If the FCC agrees, comments would be due April 23, replies a month later.
The FCC will allow public safety licensees negotiating 800 MHz rebanding agreements with Sprint Nextel to share basic information about the deals with other licensees - despite nondisclosure agreements that Sprint required licensees to sign prior to negotiations, the agency’s Public Safety Bureau said Mon.
MetroPCS cited a suit by designated entities as a risk factor in filing last week for an IPO at the SEC. The DEs want the 3rd U.S. Appeals Court, Philadelphia, to overturn the 2006 advanced wireless services auction. The regional carrier filed for a $1.1 billion IPO; it will use the money to enter markets in which it won AWS licenses, it said. The auction saw MetroPCS bid nearly $1.4 billion for 8 licenses, making it a surprise among the top bidders.
The FCC Fri. referred Sprint Nextel, Alltel, U.S. Cellular and Nextel Partners to the Enforcement Bureau for what could be stiff financial penalties for the carriers’ failure to comply with an E-911 Phase II mandate that 95% of subscribers have location-capable handsets by Dec. 31, 2005. The Commission warned Verizon Wireless, Leap, Qwest Wireless and Centennial to get their systems into full compliance, but didn’t refer them to the Enforcement Bureau, at least for now. All of the orders were highly “fact specific” taking each individual company’s progress and problems into account.
Wireless net neutrality will get more focus as Congress delves deeper into net neutrality legislation. Last week’s AT&T-BellSouth merger order opened the door to further debate, as AT&T agreed to extend net neutrality protections to fixed WiMAX (CD Jan 2 p1), sources said. But the same sources also said extending similar protections to mobile broadband - such as 3rd-generation services AT&T subsidiary Cingular offers - never figured in talks between AT&T and the FCC’s 2 Democrats. Extending net neutrality to fixed WiMAX, an alternative to wireline broadband, seemed logical to the Democrats.
Democrats who won control of Congress in Nov. are poised to put tight controls on lobbying. A proposal House members will take up when they return this week would bar lobbyists or entities employing them from offering members any gifts and meals, or travel aboard company aircraft, among other provisions, according to a draft in circulation.
Verizon and Qwest likely will have to slash prices they charge for special access services under merger conditions AT&T agreed to last week, leading to Commission approval of AT&T’s acquisition of BellSouth (CD Jan 2 p1), sources said Wed. Verizon raised a red flag on the provision in a letter to the agency as approval was being finalized Fri. Verizon warned: “Such a condition would be subject to serious legal challenge and likely would not be sustainable.”