T-Mobile's buying Sprint faced numerous oppositions last month (see 1808280038) but this week got considerable love. Replies were due Monday to oppositions and many were posted Tuesday (see 1809170025). Many of the filings in FCC docket 18-197 questioned whether Sprint would survive without T-Mobile. T-Mobile and Sprint said they would be stronger together. Both have “standalone plans to deploy 5G networks, [but] the New T-Mobile network will be far superior and will create expanded capacity and lower costs so that American consumers will pay less and get more,” the carriers said. “Notably,” none of the oppositions disputes this point, they said. “Opponents insist either that the merger is unnecessary to build such a nationwide 5G network or that the standalone companies have alternatives to merging. They further hypothesize that the transaction will result in harmful effects on specific segments of the wireless market, rural areas, and company employment.” A recurring criticism is the deal would reduce service or raise process for prepaid plans “attractive to cost-conscious and low-income customers,” the deal partners said. “These concerns, like those raised on T-Mobile acquired MetroPCS, are unfounded. Following this merger, all MetroPCS, Boost Mobile, and Virgin Mobile USA customers with compatible handsets will benefit from the increased capacity and improved service quality that the New T-Mobile nationwide network will provide.” The transaction "comes at a precarious time for Sprint, which has been struggling for years as the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier,” the Competitive Enterprise Institute commented. “As the most highly leveraged S&P 500 company, with $32 billion of net debt, Sprint faces an uncertain future as a nationwide wireless carrier capable of competing with larger rivals.” The combined company “will be in a far better position to deploy wireless services to all Americans than would either company alone,” TechFreedom said. The group said many opponents “understate” how competitive the U.S. wireless market is. “In perhaps no other industry are the economies of scale larger than in broadband, and wireless broadband in particular,” TechFreedom said. The National Emergency Number Association said it rarely files on transactions but sees the deal as potentially benefiting emergency calling. T-Mobile is a leader in efforts to improve 911 calling, doing most work in-house, NENA said. “Such work, if carried over to the combined companies, will benefit T-Mobile customers when dialing 9-1-1 from their mobile devices."
T-Mobile's buying Sprint faced numerous oppositions last month (see 1808280038) but this week got considerable love. Replies were due Monday to oppositions and many were posted Tuesday (see 1809170025). Many of the filings in FCC docket 18-197 questioned whether Sprint would survive without T-Mobile. T-Mobile and Sprint said they would be stronger together. Both have “standalone plans to deploy 5G networks, [but] the New T-Mobile network will be far superior and will create expanded capacity and lower costs so that American consumers will pay less and get more,” the carriers said. “Notably,” none of the oppositions disputes this point, they said. “Opponents insist either that the merger is unnecessary to build such a nationwide 5G network or that the standalone companies have alternatives to merging. They further hypothesize that the transaction will result in harmful effects on specific segments of the wireless market, rural areas, and company employment.” A recurring criticism is the deal would reduce service or raise process for prepaid plans “attractive to cost-conscious and low-income customers,” the deal partners said. “These concerns, like those raised on T-Mobile acquired MetroPCS, are unfounded. Following this merger, all MetroPCS, Boost Mobile, and Virgin Mobile USA customers with compatible handsets will benefit from the increased capacity and improved service quality that the New T-Mobile nationwide network will provide.” The transaction "comes at a precarious time for Sprint, which has been struggling for years as the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier,” the Competitive Enterprise Institute commented. “As the most highly leveraged S&P 500 company, with $32 billion of net debt, Sprint faces an uncertain future as a nationwide wireless carrier capable of competing with larger rivals.” The combined company “will be in a far better position to deploy wireless services to all Americans than would either company alone,” TechFreedom said. The group said many opponents “understate” how competitive the U.S. wireless market is. “In perhaps no other industry are the economies of scale larger than in broadband, and wireless broadband in particular,” TechFreedom said. The National Emergency Number Association said it rarely files on transactions but sees the deal as potentially benefiting emergency calling. T-Mobile is a leader in efforts to improve 911 calling, doing most work in-house, NENA said. “Such work, if carried over to the combined companies, will benefit T-Mobile customers when dialing 9-1-1 from their mobile devices."
That U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports take effect Monday gives potential challengers, including from the tech and telecom industry, little time to weigh a court challenge blocking the duties before they take effect. The quick turnaround, published in a notice U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released Monday (see 1809170053), bore out CTA member companies’ worries the Trump administration would release its order imposing the tariffs soon after the comment period expired Sept. 6. The new tariffs "run afoul of the carefully tailored provisions” of the 1974 Trade Act, “which require any action to be within the scope [an] investigation," said CTA President Gary Shapiro Monday.
That U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports take effect Monday gives potential challengers, including from the tech and telecom industry, little time to weigh a court challenge blocking the duties before they take effect. The quick turnaround, published in a notice U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released Monday (see 1809170053), bore out CTA member companies’ worries the Trump administration would release its order imposing the tariffs soon after the comment period expired Sept. 6. The new tariffs "run afoul of the carefully tailored provisions” of the 1974 Trade Act, “which require any action to be within the scope [an] investigation," said CTA President Gary Shapiro Monday.
That the Trump administration's Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports take effect Sept. 24 (see 1809170052) gives CTA extraordinarily little time to weigh a court challenge blocking the duties if it's to act before they become effective next week (see 1809170022). The quick turnaround time, published in a notice that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released late Monday, bore out CTA member companies’ worries the administration would waste little time enacting the tariffs soon after the comments period expired Sept. 6 (see 1809100056).
That the Section 301 tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports take effect Sept. 24 gives potential litigants little time to weigh a court challenge blocking the duties if they are going to act before they become effective (see 1809170051). The extremely quick turnaround time, published in a notice that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released late on Sept. 17, bore out worries that the Trump administration would release its order imposing the tariffs soon after the comments period expired Sept. 6.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the FCC, Monday delayed a nationwide test of the emergency alert system and wireless emergency alert system until Oct. 3. The test was scheduled for Thursday but postponement was expected (see 1809140040) because of Hurricane Florence (see 1809170046) related problems. The WEA test is expected to get the most attention because this is the first time that system will be tested nationwide.
Lifeline providers endorsed and USTelecom opposed TracFone's emergency petition for the FCC to direct Universal Service Administrative Co. to speed efforts to obtain access to key federal databases or postpone a national verifier's (NV) hard launch. Comments were posted through Thursday in docket 17-287. Sprint noted the databases contain information on consumers who participate in Medicaid, food stamps and other federal assistance programs. "Automated access to this information will help the NV to verify an end user’s ... eligibility to receive the federal Lifeline benefit in an efficient and user-friendly manner, and will reduce the need for resource-intensive manual processing" that's costly for providers and "cumbersome and frustrating for end users," said Sprint in docket 17-287. The FCC should instruct USAC to set the NV hard launch dates only after application programming interfaces and database connections are implemented, said Q Link Wireless, noting its own API petition (see 1808130034). The National Lifeline Association said FCC policy goals were undermined by USAC's initial, soft launch without automated database access to Lifeline-qualifying programs "while simultaneously refusing to accept eligibility documentation from third-party sources such as Managed Care Organizations." Sage Telecom Communications (TruConnect) also supported the petition but asked if the agency moves forward without access to key databases, it allow documentation through such third parties. USTelecom, citing the goal of combating Lifeline abuses, said the FCC shouldn't let delayed access to the databases disrupt the transition to the NV, but instead should work with USAC and states to ensure timely access to the necessary databases. A telecom consultant disputed FCC claims, based on a 2017 GAO report that Lifeline resellers caused extensive program abuses. The report "in no way supports the Commission’s assertions regarding the scale of actual waste, fraud and abuse within the program, let alone its allegations of 'unscrupulous' behavior by resellers," said Gately Consulting, in a letter to House and Senate Commerce Committee leaders posted in the docket. Gately said GAO used a "flawed methodology to verify eligibility," relied on data intended for other purposes, and the "data fell within the statistical error range."
The FCC is considering delaying Thursday's first national test of wireless emergency alerts, followed by an emergency alert system test, because of Hurricane Florence, wireless industry officials said Friday as the storm was hitting. The agency granted some telecom leeway during the storm, and also released its first outage report.
Lifeline providers endorsed and USTelecom opposed TracFone's emergency petition for the FCC to direct Universal Service Administrative Co. to speed efforts to obtain access to key federal databases or postpone a national verifier's (NV) hard launch. Comments were posted through Thursday in docket 17-287. Sprint noted the databases contain information on consumers who participate in Medicaid, food stamps and other federal assistance programs. "Automated access to this information will help the NV to verify an end user’s ... eligibility to receive the federal Lifeline benefit in an efficient and user-friendly manner, and will reduce the need for resource-intensive manual processing" that's costly for providers and "cumbersome and frustrating for end users," said Sprint in docket 17-287. The FCC should instruct USAC to set the NV hard launch dates only after application programming interfaces and database connections are implemented, said Q Link Wireless, noting its own API petition (see 1808130034). The National Lifeline Association said FCC policy goals were undermined by USAC's initial, soft launch without automated database access to Lifeline-qualifying programs "while simultaneously refusing to accept eligibility documentation from third-party sources such as Managed Care Organizations." Sage Telecom Communications (TruConnect) also supported the petition but asked if the agency moves forward without access to key databases, it allow documentation through such third parties. USTelecom, citing the goal of combating Lifeline abuses, said the FCC shouldn't let delayed access to the databases disrupt the transition to the NV, but instead should work with USAC and states to ensure timely access to the necessary databases. A telecom consultant disputed FCC claims, based on a 2017 GAO report that Lifeline resellers caused extensive program abuses. The report "in no way supports the Commission’s assertions regarding the scale of actual waste, fraud and abuse within the program, let alone its allegations of 'unscrupulous' behavior by resellers," said Gately Consulting, in a letter to House and Senate Commerce Committee leaders posted in the docket. Gately said GAO used a "flawed methodology to verify eligibility," relied on data intended for other purposes, and the "data fell within the statistical error range."