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Tag: FCC

  • DOJ Takes Another Shot At State-Level Net Neutrality

    DOJ Takes Another Shot At State-Level Net Neutrality

    The DOJ is asking a federal judge to overturn California’s net neutrality law, arguing that federal law should take precedence.

    The FCC voted to undo Obama-era net neutrality laws, a move that was challenged in court. Although the appeals court upheld the FCC’s right to repeal the law, it did hand a victory to proponents of net neutrality. The FCC had ruled that states had no right to implement their own versions of the law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, however, ruled that the FCC could not stop individual states from implementing net neutrality on a state level.

    Despite that ruling, it appears the DOJ is still fighting to prevent states from implementing their own laws, specifically targeting California. Following the appeals court ruling, California implemented its own rules, very similar to the rules the FCC overturned. California’s law has been welcomed and supported by tech companies and consumer groups alike.

    Reuters is reporting the DOJ “is seeking a preliminary injunction to block California from being able to enforce its law.” The DOJ evidently believes the federal law preempts California’s, despite the appeals court specifically ruling to the contrary.

    Needless to say, whichever way the court rules on this latest challenge will have profound repercussions.

  • T-Mobile and Sprint Officially Unified Under T-Mobile Brand

    T-Mobile and Sprint Officially Unified Under T-Mobile Brand

    Four months after completing a merger years in the making, T-Mobile has officially shut down the Sprint brand.

    T-Mobile and Sprint pursued a merger for several years before finally coming to an agreement and receiving FCC and DOJ approval. Despite federal backing, a coalition of states filed a lawsuit to block the merger. After a judge ruled in T-Mobile’s favor, the merger moved forward with T-Mobile quickly integrating Sprint’s spectrum into its own network.

    Now the company has officially retired the Sprint brand, unifying the two under the T-Mobile brand.

    ”Our team has been working night and day to combine our storefronts – and this is SO much more than just rebranding thousands of Sprint locations with a fresh coat of magenta paint,” writes CEO Mike Sievert. “This is about giving customers even MORE access to our expanded retail footprint, (one of the largest in the United States) and making it even easier and more convenient for them to safely drop in, chat with a Mobile Expert, make upgrades, get the latest deals, and reap the benefits from all that new T-Mobile has to offer! It was no small feat and is a testament to incredible teamwork all around the country. Today truly marks the beginning of a new era for T-Mobile, and for our customers.”

    Sievert also took the opportunity to tout the company’s 5G plans, especially in comparison to the competition.

    ”It all starts with our people and of course our integration work – with major milestones like this one marking our way – and then it really comes to life with our 5G network that will surpass anything that anyone (yes, including Verizon) will deliver to the market for years! (Spoiler alert: we have another important network milestone coming up really soon… because Neville and his team are truly firing on all cylinders to bring 5G to even more people in more places, so stay tuned!). Trust me, we are going to bring new and better connectivity options to everything from major metros and urban cities to small towns and rural America!”

    It remains to be seen what the network milestone is that Sievert is referring to. Given the amount of spectrum T-Mobile acquired with the merger, it’s a safe bet it’s probably something big.

  • FCC Green Lights Amazon’s Kuiper Satellite Plans

    FCC Green Lights Amazon’s Kuiper Satellite Plans

    Amazon has received the green light to move forward with its plans to launch a satellite constellation to provide internet access.

    Amazon announced Project Kuiper last spring. The project is aimed at launching a satellite constellation in low earth orbit (LEO) to provide internet access to underserved communities around the world.

    In a 5-0 vote, the FCC has approved Amazon’s plans, giving the company the go-ahead to move forward. Initially, Kuiper will involve some 3,236 satellites.

    “We have heard so many stories lately about people who are unable to do their job or complete schoolwork because they don’t have reliable internet at home,” said Dave Limp, Senior Vice President, Amazon. “There are still too many places where broadband access is unreliable or where it doesn’t exist at all. Kuiper will change that. Our $10 billion investment will create jobs and infrastructure around the United States that will help us close this gap. We appreciate the FCC’s unanimous, bipartisan support on this issue, and I want to thank Chairman Pai and the rest of the Commission for taking this important first step with us. We’re off to the races.”

    Following the FCC’s decision, Amazon vowed to invest some $10 billion in the project, with the goal of creating jobs and investing in infrastructure. With this announcement, it seems Starlink may have some stiff competition to content with.

  • FCC Opens Auction for Mid-Band 5G Spectrum

    FCC Opens Auction for Mid-Band 5G Spectrum

    The FCC has started its auction for 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum for 5G.

    Many experts consider mid-band spectrum to be the sweet spot for 5G, offering the best compromise between speed and building penetration. Many international carriers have focused primarily on mid-band spectrum as they have rolled out their own 5G networks.

    In the US, however, carriers’ efforts have largely focused on the low and high-band (mmWave) varieties. All three carriers have deployed some mmWave offerings in cities, but mmWave requires repeaters and base stations every couple hundred meters and has very poor penetration. These factors mean it will likely never be used as a nationwide option.

    As a result, T-Mobile and AT&T have both rolled out low-band networks to provide nationwide 5G coverage. Low-band, while offering excellent range and penetration, is only marginally faster than 4G. Verizon, on the other hand, does not have enough low-band spectrum to roll out a dedicated, nationwide 5G network and will have to rely on switching technology to allow 4G and 5G to be served from the same towers, using the same spectrum.

    T-Mobile currently is the only one of the three carriers that has a wealth of mid-band spectrum, thanks to its Sprint acquisition. T-Mobile’s spectrum is in the 2.5 GHz range, and should offer speeds in the 600 – 700Mbps range.

    The FCC is auctioning spectrum in the 3.55 to 3.65 GHz range, which should offer slightly higher speeds than T-Mobile’s mid-band, although slightly less range and penetration as well.

    “5G is critical to America’s global economic and technological leadership, and the start of the 3.5 GHz auction today is a key milestone in our work advancing this national priority,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

    It’s a safe bet this will be one of the most important spectrum auctions in recent years, with Verizon and AT&T eager to flesh out their 5G networks. It remains to be seen if T-Mobile will purchase some of the spectrum, or if they are content with the mid-band they already have.

  • FCC: All Calls From Carriers Profiting From Robocalls May Be Blocked

    FCC: All Calls From Carriers Profiting From Robocalls May Be Blocked

    The FCC voted unanimously to adopt a set of rules that would allow all calls from carriers benefiting from robocalls to be blocked.

    Robocalls have become a plague for modern consumers, with billions of robocalls made per month in the US alone. As a result, legislators have been working to crack down on the problem.

    In its latest move, the FCC has created a safe harbor, wherein carriers have the option of blocking all calls from upstream, bad-actor carriers who profit from robocalls. This creates an option to tackle the problem on a much wider scale, without any liability issues.

    “The first safe harbor protects phone companies that use reasonable analytics, including caller ID authentication information, to identify and block illegal or unwanted calls from liability,” reads the FCC’s statement.

    “The second safe harbor protects providers that block call traffic from bad actor upstream voice service providers that pass illegal or unwanted calls along to other providers, when those upstream providers have been notified but fail to take action to stop these calls.”

    This may prove to be a powerful tool in the fight against robocalls.

  • T-Mobile Takes On Robocalls, Unveils Scam Shield

    T-Mobile Takes On Robocalls, Unveils Scam Shield

    T-Mobile has unveiled Scam Shield as part of its latest Un-carrier Move, taking on robocalls and scams.

    YouMail, one of the leading robocall blockers, estimates there were some 3.3 billion robocalls made in the US in June 2020, averaging 10 calls per person. Recent legislation has made an effort to address the problem, with the FCC and the Supreme Court both weighing in on the matter.

    T-Mobile’s new Scam Shield aims to go even further, offering an array of tools to help protect users. These include Scam ID and Blocking where scam calls are flagged, and the user is given the option to block them permanently. Enhanced Caller ID will tell the user if the number is verified and from a person or business. T-Mobile is also giving customers a free second number they can use to keep their main number more private, as well as a free number change for individuals whose numbers are overrun. The company is also offering free monitoring and alerts from McAfee for 12 months.

    Significantly, this is the first major Un-carrier announcement since T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger, and this one is aimed at all of the company’s customers.

    “Now that Sprint is a part of T-Mobile, we can take on even bigger problems, so today, we’re taking on one of the biggest pain points in wireless — scams and unwanted robocalls,” said Mike Sievert, CEO at T-Mobile. “Scam Shield has never been more needed than it is right now. Scammers see COVID-19 as an opportunity to take advantage of Americans at their most vulnerable. When we saw that happening, we knew we had to take bold, swift action. With Scam Shield, T-Mobile customers get fewer scam calls, period … and it’s all because of our advanced network.”

    Not surprisingly, T-Mobile used the opportunity to call out its competitors, some of whom charge for similar features.

    “As an industry, we have to be better. Today, Verizon and AT&T are profiting off consumer fears. They’re charging to protect you from the very scams and robocalls their network brings you. It’s wrong, and it’s got to stop,” added Sievert. “We can be better, and at T-Mobile, we will continue righting the wrongs of this industry. Today, I’m challenging the Carriers to get off their assets, stop profiting from fear and do the right thing, because everyone needs and deserves protection now, more than ever.”

    Like many of the company’s previous Un-carrier moves, this one is sure to be a hit with customers and continue to put pressure on Verizon and AT&T.

  • Supreme Court Strengthens Anti-Robocalling Laws

    Supreme Court Strengthens Anti-Robocalling Laws

    Consumers tired of robocalls can breath a sigh of relief, as the Supreme Court has shored up a law banning the practice.

    Polling and political organizations had sought to have a law banning robocalls overturned, in their efforts to reach voters. To bolster their case, they cited an exemption that allows the federal government to robocall individuals to collect debts, specifically loans held or guaranteed by the government. As Reuters points out, this would include many mortgages and student loans.

    Needless to say, the argument didn’t go the way the political groups wanted. Not only did the Supreme Court not overturn they law, they instead struck down the amendment exempting the federal government. Even the FCC, while supporting the ban, had wanted the federal exemption to be left in place.

    “Americans passionately disagree about many things. But they are largely united in their disdain for robocalls. The federal government receives a staggering number of complaints about robocalls – 3.7 million complaints in 2019 alone. The states likewise field a constant barrage of complaints,” Justice Kavanaugh wrote.

    Consumers are the real winners in this decision. It’s clear that united disdain for robocalls was a large motivating factor in the Supreme Court strengthening this particular law.

  • FCC Labels Huawei and ZTE Threat to National Security

    FCC Labels Huawei and ZTE Threat to National Security

    The FCC has formally declared both Huawei and ZTE as threats to national security.

    The US has been waging a campaign against Huawei and ZTE for some time, citing concerns over their close ties to the Chinese government. The US has consistently maintained the companies, especially Huawei, serve as a conduit for Beijing to spy on governments and organizations around the world.

    As a result, US officials have taken steps to ban both companies from participating in US networks, and have pressured allies to do the same. Now the FCC is ratcheting up the pressure by labeling both companies as threats to national security.

    “We cannot treat Huawei and ZTE as anything less than a threat to our collective security,” Commissioner Carr stated. “Communist China intends to surveil persons within our borders and engage in large-scale, industrial espionage. Nothing short of prohibiting subsidized Huawei and ZTE gear from our networks could address this serious national security threat. After all, Chinese law does not meaningfully restrain the Communist regime given its authoritarian nature.

    “America has turned the page on the weak and timid approach to Communist China of the past. We are now showing the strength needed to address Communist China’s threats. And our efforts will not stop here. The FCC will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to secure America’s communications networks from bad actors that would do us harm,” Commissioner Carr added.

    The designation means that companies cannot use funds from the FCC’s Universal Service Fund to purchase, maintain or support equipment from either company.

  • Dish Closing Boost Deal to Become Fourth Carrier

    Dish Closing Boost Deal to Become Fourth Carrier

    Dish Network is preparing to close the deal with T-Mobile to take Boost Mobile off of its hands, making it the fourth nationwide carrier.

    T-Mobile recently merged with Sprint after years of campaigning and fighting to gain regulatory approval. Even after the DOJ and FCC approved the deal, a coalition of states sued to stop it. One of the big concerns opponents had was whether consolidating to three carriers would hurt consumers.

    To address the concerns, it was agreed that T-Mobile would sell its Boost Mobile business to Dish Network. This paved the way for the merger, making T-Mobile the second largest US carrier, while helping Dish enter the market as a new fourth nationwide carrier.

    As part of the deal, Bloomberg is reporting that Dish will pay T-Mobile $1.4 billion for Boost. In return, Dish will also have access to T-Mobile’s network for seven years.

    Dish has been aggressively optimistic about its ability to compete in a market that has seen Sprint go from a major force to being bought out by its one-time rival. Only time will tell if Dish is able to make a go of it.

  • T-Mobile Explains Outage: ‘We Didn’t Meet Our Own Bar For Excellence’

    T-Mobile Explains Outage: ‘We Didn’t Meet Our Own Bar For Excellence’

    T-Mobile experienced a major outage Monday, impacting thousands of customers around the world as voice and text services were down.

    The issues began around 12:00 PM Monday, with users having trouble making and receiving calls and texts. President of Technology Neville Ray took to Twitter to reassure users the company’s engineers were working on the issue.

    Despite their efforts, however, the problems continued for roughly 12 hours. They were so widespread that users of other networks reported having issues as well, as we reported. FCC chairman Ajit Pai even got in on the action, tweeting that T-Mobile’s “network outage is unacceptable,” and vowing the FCC would demand answers.

    It appears T-Mobile is providing those answers, with Ray explaining what caused the issue, as well as what the company is doing to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future.

    “The trigger event is known to be a leased fiber circuit failure from a third party provider in the Southeast,” writes Ray. “This is something that happens on every mobile network, so we’ve worked with our vendors to build redundancy and resiliency to make sure that these types of circuit failures don’t affect customers. This redundancy failed us and resulted in an overload situation that was then compounded by other factors. This overload resulted in an IP traffic storm that spread from the Southeast to create significant capacity issues across the IMS (IP multimedia Subsystem) core network that supports VoLTE calls.

    “We have worked with our IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) and IP vendors to add permanent additional safeguards to prevent this from happening again and we’re continuing to work on determining the cause of the initial overload failure.”

    Ray personally apologized for the problem, while acknowledging T-Mobile and his team did not meet their own bar for excellence.

  • Cox Punishes Entire Neighborhoods For Heavy Internet Users

    Cox Punishes Entire Neighborhoods For Heavy Internet Users

    In an era when many internet and wireless providers are suspending data limits, Cox Communications is throttling entire neighborhoods over a single heavy user.

    As unprecedented numbers of individuals have been forced to work from home as a result of the pandemic, many internet and wireless companies have signed on to the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” agreeing not to terminate services for customers impacted by the current economic climate.

    At least one internet service provider is taking it even further, completely ending data caps permanently. Antietam Broadband made the decision based on the information it gathered about usage trends during the pandemic, ensuring its customers have the access they need, regardless of the circumstances.

    Then there’s Cox Communications. According to Ars Technica, the company recently sent out an email to one of its customers saying that upload speeds for the entire neighborhood would be reduced from 35 to 10Mbps—as a result of that one individual’s usage.

    While the customer in question is admittedly a heavy internet user, accounting for anywhere from 8 to 12TB of data a month, his usage has been steady for the past four years. Cox only started making an issue of it in mid-May, however, going so far as to threaten service termination. As someone who works from home, the individual was paying $50 a month extra specifically to have “unlimited data.” What’s more, he intentionally has his scheduled backups and information sharing, which accounts for the vast majority of his usage, scheduled to occur between 1AM and 8AM, a time when most networks experience far less traffic.

    It’s safe to say, unlike Antietam Broadband and many other providers, Cox isn’t likely to win any customer loyalty or customer service awards with these tactics.

  • FCC Moves to Limit Local Governments From Blocking 5G

    FCC Moves to Limit Local Governments From Blocking 5G

    The FCC has voted to clarify rules governing the process for local and state governments to review wireless infrastructure modifications.

    Few wireless technologies have been as controversial as 5G. The next generation of wireless technology has been lauded as revolutionary, ushering in gigabit-class speeds that will redefine many industries.

    At the same time, some scientists have warned of potential health dangers posed by the new technology. Some governments have even gone so far as to impose a moratorium on 5G rollouts until more research can be done. On the other hand, studies by government regulators and international watchdog agencies have found 5G to be safe. That hasn’t stopped conspiracy theories from multiplying, however, resulting in 5G towers being vandalized and social media companies taking steps to stem the misinformation.

    To help prevent any unnecessary delays in 5G rollouts on the part of local governments, the FCC is clarifying the Spectrum Act of 2012 rules. Those rules ensure that local and state governments will approve requests to change wireless sites within 60 days, as long as those changes don’t “substantially change the physical dimensions of that structure.” The new rules make it harder for governments to take issue with changes to wireless sites, ensuring more of them are eligible for streamlined treatment.

    The FCC’s decision was split along party lines, with the two dissenters pointing out what they believed to be “an unfair burden on the local governments” as they struggle with the effects of “a deadly virus, economic calamity, and civil unrest.” The two dissenting opinions also voiced concern that the “clarification” was poorly executed and only serves to create further confusion.

    Only time will tell if the FCC’s latest decision helps or hurts 5G deployment.

  • The Case for Net Neutrality: AT&T Favoring HBO Max Over Netflix

    The Case for Net Neutrality: AT&T Favoring HBO Max Over Netflix

    AT&T is not counting access to HBO Max against customers’ mobile data plans, unlike Netflix or competing services.

    Net neutrality was legislation designed to prevent any company from favoring one service over another. It would prevent ISPs who also provided content, from prioritizing performance and access to their own services over those of competitors.

    With AT&T’s HBO Max, however, it seems the ISP is showing preferential treatment. AT&T, like most wireless carriers, offers unlimited mobile data, but throttles speeds if an individual goes above a certain usage threshold.

    According to The Verge, it seems AT&T is exempting HBO Max from counting against a person’s data usage. At the same time, however, Netflix, Disney+ and other services are not exempt.

    This is a classic example that illustrates why consumer groups and companies alike supported net neutrality. Without net neutrality, companies can unfairly stack the deck against competitors or startups, potentially killing rivals before they ever have a chance to be a threat.

    Unfortunately for the legislation, one of the first things the FCC did under the Trump administration was gut the legislation and repeal it. AT&T is now providing a perfect example of what happens when net neutrality doesn’t exist.

  • Lawmakers May Block FCC’s Ligado 5G Decision

    Lawmakers May Block FCC’s Ligado 5G Decision

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently voted unanimously to allow Ligado to deploy a low-power 5G network, and lawmakers are not happy.

    In its initial ruling, the FCC authorized “Ligado to deploy a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the 1526-1536 MHz, 1627.5- 1637.5 MHz, and 1646.5-1656.5 MHz bands that will primarily support Internet of Things (IoT) services.”

    There was only one problem with the FCC’s decision: It was opposed by numerous organizations and agencies, including major airlines, the Departments of Commerce, Defense and Justice. The reason for the objection is the potential for Ligado’s network to interfere with commercial and military GPS equipment.

    In an op-ed published in C4ISRNET, Sen. Jim Inhofe, Sen. Jack Reed, Rep. Adam Smith and Rep. Mac Thornberry lay out the case for why they believe the FCC made a mistake:

    “The problem here is that Ligado’s planned usage is not in the prime mid-band spectrum being considered for 5G — and it will have a significant risk of interference with GPS reception, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),” the lawmakers write. “The signals interference Ligado’s plan would create could cost taxpayers and consumers billions of dollars and require the replacement of current GPS equipment just as we are trying to get our economy back on its feet quickly — and the FCC has just allowed this to happen.”

    The lawmakers go on to highlight that no fewer than nine federal agencies and departments did extensive testing and came to the conclusion that Ligado’s network would interfere with existing GPS equipment.

    “Considering the risks, it’s clear the FCC commissioners made the wrong decision regarding Ligado’s plan, which will set a disastrous precedent while impeding ongoing work on spectrum sharing,” the lawmakers continue. “The vulnerabilities to our national and economic security are not worth the risk, particularly for a band of spectrum that isn’t necessary to secure a robust 5G network.

    “We encourage the FCC to withdraw its approval of Ligado’s application and take this opportunity to work with the NTIA and other federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Transportation, to find a solution that will both support commercial broadband expansion and protect national security assets. Moreover, we expect the FCC to resolve Department of Defense concerns before moving forward, as required by law.

    “If they do not, and unless President Trump intervenes to stop this from moving forward, it will be up to Congress to clean up this mess.”

    We will continue to monitor the story for the FCC’s response and whatever action is taken by either side.

  • Carriers Extend Service Protection Due to Coronavirus

    Carriers Extend Service Protection Due to Coronavirus

    Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon have announced they will extend their coronavirus service protection policies until at least June 30.

    As the coronavirus began taking a toll on small businesses and individuals, wireless carriers and internet providers voluntarily adopted the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge.” The pledge was aimed at preventing late fees or disconnects for individuals and small businesses impacted by the pandemic. In their latest announcement, several carriers have agreed to extend the initial window for those protections to the end of June

    Comcast’s CEO, Dave Watson, said: “Our services have never been more important, and we’re doing everything we can to keep people connected to the internet.” Meanwhile, “Comcast announced today it will extend its commitments for Xfinity customers through June 30 to help ensure students can finish out the school year from home and remain connected to the internet during the COVID-19 crisis.”

    T-Mobile, likewise, said its extension would go to June 30 and that “customers who have already talked to us and made arrangements for their account can contact us directly after May 13 to get an extension through June 30. We will have more details available online later this week.”

    Similarly, Verizon said “we will neither terminate service nor charge late fees to our postpaid wireless, residential, and small business customers that notify us of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.”

    There had previously been reports of some individuals being disconnected in spite of the pledge. As a result, it is important for any users impacted by the pandemic to proactively communicate with their provider to take advantage of the measures being offered.

  • FCC Goes After Telecoms With Ties to China

    FCC Goes After Telecoms With Ties to China

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has thrown down the gauntlet, going after telecom companies that have strong ties to Beijing.

    The U.S. has engaged in some very public battles with Chinese firms, including Huawei and ZTE, citing issues of national security. In its latest move, the FCC has “issued Show Cause Orders to four telecom companies with ties to the communist regime in China.” A Show Cause Order gives the companies 30 days to make the case as to why their authority to operate within the U.S. should not be revoked. The companies in question are ComNet, China Telecom Americas, China Unicom Americas and Pacific Networks.

    “Over the past few weeks, Americans have learned that they no longer need to page through dusty foreign policy magazines to understand the consequences that flow from communist China’s brutal crackdown on freedom and free speech,” writes Commissioner Brendan Carr. “The communist party’s silencing of critics and its disappearance of hero doctors and citizen journalists exacerbated the global spread of Covid-19. Americans are now experiencing the consequences of those oppressive actions in their own lives—whether in the loss of their jobs or their kids not being able to attend school due to Covid-19.

    “Since communist China is willing to disappear its own people to advance the regime’s geopolitical agenda, it is appropriate for the FCC to closely scrutinize telecom carriers with ties to that regime. This is a prudent step to ensure the security of America’s telecom networks. In the Show Cause orders issued today, we give carriers 30 days to explain why the FCC should not initiate proceedings to revoke their authority. They now have the opportunity to provide evidence showing that they are not subject to the exploitation, influence, and control of the Chinese government such that we should not look to revoke their authority to operate in the U.S. I look forward to reviewing the record that develops and reaching a final decision on those key issues.”

    It’s unknown what impact the FCC’s actions will have on trade relations with China, although Beijing has vowed retaliation in the past when action has been threatened against one of its companies.

  • Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Individuals experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship are receiving threatening letters and being disconnected by their wireless providers.

    Last month the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled the “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” aimed at preventing individuals and small businesses from being disconnected from internet and wireless services during the pandemic. The pledge also called for providers to waive late fees. As countless individuals are working from home, as well as sheltering in place, the internet and wireless services are vital lifelines, providing a way for people to work, shop, study and keep in touch with loved ones. For unemployed individuals, internet access is a critical component to finding new work, or being able to take advantage of unemployment benefits.

    In spite of taking the pledge, however, NBC News is reporting that companies are disconnecting unemployed individuals. Verizon and T-Mobile have both stated that customers must be proactive in alerting them to their financial situation and inability to pay. Despite those statements, NBC cites multiple instances of individuals who attempted to do just that—and were reassured their service would remain intact—only to be disconnected anyway. In at least one instance, a Verizon customer was told it would cost $360 to reconnect service.

    The FCC acknowledged it has been receiving complaints of service shut-offs, with FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel calling the shut-offs “unacceptable.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took things a step further, banning internet and phone companies from disconnecting customers during the pandemic.

    It’s truly disappointing that companies are reneging on their promise, especially during a time when phone and internet access could literally be the difference between life and death.

  • Google Gains DOJ Clearance to Use Undersea Internet Cable

    Google Gains DOJ Clearance to Use Undersea Internet Cable

    Amid the ongoing pandemic, Google has gained Department of Justice (DOJ) approval to use an undersea cable to ease network stress.

    Google had filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use part of the Pacific Light Cable Network System that runs between Taiwan and the U.S. In its announcement about the Special Temporary Authority (STA) application, the DOJ cited Google’s belief that it would need additional capacity to keep up with demand over the next six months.

    “In its application for the STA, Google emphasized ‘an immediate need to meet internal demand for capacity between the U.S. and Taiwan’ and that without the sought temporary authority Google would likely have to seek alternative capacity at ‘significantly higher prices,’” reads the DOJ statement. “ After discussions with Google representatives, the departments concluded that the obligations undertaken by Google in the Provisional National Security agreement would be sufficient to preserve their abilities to enforce the law, protect national security, and preserve public safety.”

    As a result, the DOJ concluded that “on behalf of itself as well as the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, the department advised the FCC that those agencies do not oppose Google LLC’s application (through its subsidiary GU Holdings Inc.) to operate the segment of the Pacific Light Cable Network System connecting the United States to Taiwan for the next six months, pending a final disposition of the license application, so long as that temporary authority is conditioned on certain obligations.”

    The STA should help Google meet the additional demand it is dealing with as unprecedented numbers of individuals work from home and shelter in place during the global crisis.

  • FCC Prepares to Open 6 GHz Spectrum

    FCC Prepares to Open 6 GHz Spectrum

    The FCC is preparing to vote on making 1,200 megahertz of spectrum available for unlicensed use in the 6GHz band.

    In a blog post on the FCC’s site, Chairman Ajit Pai laid out his plan:

    “Specifically, I have proposed a set of rules to make 1,200 megahertz of spectrum available for unlicensed use in four segments of the 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz). This band is currently populated by, among others, microwave services that are used to support utilities, public safety, and wireless backhaul. So unlicensed devices will share this spectrum with incumbent licensed services under rules that are carefully crafted to protect those licensed services and to enable both unlicensed and licensed operations to thrive throughout the band. Ultimately, I expect that 6 GHz unlicensed devices will become a part of consumers’ everyday lives. For the rules we will vote on would play a major role in the growth of the Internet of Things, connecting appliances, machines, meters, wearables, and other consumer electronics, as well as industrial sensors for manufacturing.”

    The newly available spectrum will be a boon for numerous industries, not the least of which is 5G. With the FCC voting in April, it shouldn’t be long before devices using the 6 GHz band start showing up.

  • FCC Sets Deadline For Carriers to Fight Robocallers

    FCC Sets Deadline For Carriers to Fight Robocallers

    The FCC has set a deadline for phone carriers to support the STIR/SHAKEN protocol, in an effort to fight robocalls.

    The STIR/SHAKEN protocol helps combat number spoofing, a favorite tactic of robocallers, whereby they make their number appear as though it is in the same exchange or area code as the recipient. When a call is placed, the carrier uses the protocol to confirm the authenticity of the call. If the call is placed to a number on another network, the carrier passes that verification on to the next carrier, who performs their own verification. Ultimately, when the receiving phone receives the call, if the number is verified, it will display that in the caller ID.

    The FCC had previously asked carriers to implement the protocol, but Chairman Ajit Pai was not happy with the level of adoption. As a result, the FCC has adopted new rules requiring carriers to implement the protocol no later than June 30, 2021.

    “The FCC estimates that the benefits of eliminating the wasted time and nuisance caused by illegal scam robocalls will exceed $3 billion annually, and STIR/SHAKEN is an important part of realizing those cost savings,” reads the press release. “Additionally, when paired with call analytics, STIR/SHAKEN will help protect American consumers from fraudulent robocall schemes that cost Americans approximately $10 billion annually. Improved caller ID authentication will also benefit public safety by reducing spoofed robocalls that disrupt healthcare and emergency communications systems. Further, implementation of STIR/SHAKEN will restore consumer trust in caller ID information and encourage consumers to answer the phone, to the benefit of consumers, businesses, healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations.”

    This is good news for everyone sick of being on the receiving end of robocalls and scam attempts.

  • FCC Approves Up to 1 Million Starlink Ground Antenna

    FCC Approves Up to 1 Million Starlink Ground Antenna

    Starlink just passed a major milestone in its plans to provide broadband internet via a constellation of satellites: approval for 1 million ground antenna.

    SpaceX, Elon Musk’s other company, has been launching the Starlink constellation of satellites in batches of as many as 60 at a time. Eventually, some 12,000 satellites will provide high-speed internet worldwide. In order for the system to work, however, there has to be a network of ground antenna to relay the signal to their final destinations.

    According to CNBC, “the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized SpaceX to begin rolling out as many as 1 million of the ground antenna the company will need to connect users to its Starlink satellite internet network.”

    Each antenna will be roughly 19 inches across and should be fairly easy to recognize.

    “It looks like a UFO on a stick,” said Elon Musk, according to CNBC. “It’s very important that you don’t need a specialist to install. The goal is for … just two instructions and they can be done in either order: Point at sky, plug in.”

    Once operational, Starlink should be a good internet option for under-served communities, where cable, DSL, fiber or 5G are not viable options.