SpaceX’s Starlink broadband service is likely to end this year with roughly 8.2 million subscribers worldwide and add 3.8 million in 2026, Quilty Space said during a webinar Thursday. Quilty analyst Caleb Henry said SpaceX’s growth is being driven by the renewed addition of U.S. subscribers after it temporarily leveled off at about 1.3 million in late 2023 and early 2024. The company now has about 2 million U.S. subscribers, he said.
The House Commerce Committee voted 50-1 Wednesday to advance a revised version of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-979), despite some members’ misgivings about including a shorter sunset period as a compromise with pro-automotive industry lawmakers. HR-979 and its Senate Commerce Committee-advanced companion, S-315, would require the Department of Transportation to mandate that future automobiles include AM radio technology, mostly affecting electric vehicles (see 2502100072). The bill’s supporters unsuccessfully tried to attach it to a December 2024 continuing resolution to extend federal appropriations (see Ref:2412180033]).
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment Wednesday on a waiver sought by Hitachi Rail for a train control system that would operate in the 3.8-4.2 MHz band. Comments are due Aug. 15, replies Sept. 2, in docket 25-225. The system is “intended to provide high-resolution train location determination; continuous, high-capacity, bi-directional train-to-wayside data communications; and a network of processors installed on board trains,” OET said. Hitachi plans to upgrade the Bay Area Rapid Transit District system in the San Francisco area with the new system.
NTIA approved more than $9.5 million in additional Digital Equity Act funding for Maine and Washington, D.C., the agency said Friday (see 2412050031). Maine received in excess of $5.7 million and D.C. more than $3.8 million to implement their digital equity plans.
The U.K.’s Office of Communications on Monday released two changes to its spectrum sharing rules, designed to promote fixed-wireless access to spectrum. Ofcom removed the terminal registration requirement for all low-power users and said it would allow “easier access to Medium Power in most urban areas, with balancing measures (including an updated fee) to safeguard the efficient use of spectrum.” Ofcom approved shared access licenses in four bands in 2019, with a mix of low- and medium-power licenses. The bands are: 1.8, 2.3, 3.8-4.2 and 26 GHz. Reported ISPreview, which covers U.K. regulation: “Suffice to say that demand is only expected to grow” and “the regulator is now introducing changes to improve local spectrum availability -- especially in the busiest bands."
California Public Utilities Commission members Thursday supported regulating interconnected VoIP. Commissioners at the livestreamed meeting backed the controversial order as part of a unanimous vote on a consent agenda. Also at the meeting, the CPUC waived penalties for Verizon related to migrating Tracfone customers and approved nearly $160 million in last-mile broadband grants from the agency’s federal funding account and $50 million from the broadband loan loss reserve program.
The future success of the wireless industry depends on having a single standard worldwide for mobile communications, Adrian Scrase, former chief technology officer at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, said Tuesday during an RCR Wireless industrial 5G forum. Multiple standards are “just not tenable if we’re to have economic success,” said Scarse, now a consultant for the Global Mobile Suppliers Association.
With Congress back for a three-week sprint before Election Day, Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan remains convinced lawmakers will fully fund a program that removes unsecure gear from U.S. networks. In an interview, Donovan also said he expects at least some groups will seek reconsideration of the FCC’s recent order creating a 5G Fund.
Consumers are waiting longer than ever to trade in their mobile devices -- “an all-time high of 3.7 years,” said Assurant, which tracks consumer trade-ins. Devices are also worth more, $141.02 in Q2, compared with $110.87 a year earlier. Android devices saw a “notable” 37% increase in value, while Apple devices were up 20%, Assurant said. “The number one device turned in from trade-in and upgrade programs, and the only 4G model, was the iPhone 11, accounting for 31% of the top five models,” the Tuesday report said: “For the fifth consecutive quarter, the number one Android device turned in … was the Samsung Galaxy S21.” Apple customers held their devices for an average of 3.8 years, Android 3.5.
Verizon lost 410,000 prepaid wireless customers tied to the end of the affordable connectivity program in Q2, the company said Monday as it became the first major wireless carrier to report earnings since the impact of ACP's demise could be measured. Overall prepaid customer losses were 624,000. But Verizon also gained a net 148,000 postpaid customers, which beat expectations. Revenue of $32.8 billion just missed consensus estimates. Though most numbers were positive, Verizon was down 6.08% to $39.09 for the day.