BROWSING: AWS

Qualcomm to support AWS band in its chips

SAN DIEGO—Qualcomm Inc. announced that its future chipsets would support the AWS band (1700/2100 MHz). The Federal Communications Commission is planning to auction licenses in the AWS band in August. According to Luis Pineda, a marketing and product management vice president at Qualcomm, "Our...

FCC fields 252 applications for AWS auction; more than half seek DE status

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commissions told a federal appeals court more than half of the 252 applicants seeking to participate in the Aug. 9 advanced wireless services auction claim "designated entity" status, a revelation presumably intended to refute arguments that recent changes to bidding rules...

Southern texting conspiracy might explain Idol results

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.-Text-savvy Southerners may help explain why all five "American Idol" winners hail from south of the Mason Dixon line, according to figures from The NPD Group. Cingular Wireless L.L.C., which sponsors Fox TV's hit reality show, is based in Atlanta and claims...

DEs press case for modified AWS auction rules to appeals court

WASHINGTON-A trio of designated entities claim the Federal Communications Commission grossly mischaracterized to a federal appeals court the regulatory process leading to controversial changes to spectrum auction rules designed to prevent large mobile phone carriers from gaining benefits meant for small business bidders, but...

Stage set for lawsuit against FCC’s AWS auction rulings

WASHINGTON—The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled oral argument for next week on a challenge of controversial changes to small business bidding rules, a development that may signal that the court sees merit in the suit against the Federal Communications Commission. The issue...

FCC cites ‘public good’ for keeping Aug. 9 auction date

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission urged a U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia to reject a lawsuit seeking to delay the Aug. 9 advanced wireless services auction and to re-examine news rules designed to close a loophole enabling large wireless carriers to gain access to valuable...

Southern texting conspiracy might explain ‘American Idol’ results

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—Text-savvy Southerners may help explain why all five "American Idol" winners hail from south of the Mason Dixon line, according to figures from The NPD Group. Cingular Wireless L.L.C., which sponsors Fox TV’s hit reality show, is based in Atlanta and claims...

Correction

A quote attributed to Federal communications Commission member Michael Copps in the June 5 story "FCC keeps AWS auction rules intact" should have been attributed to Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein.

Making good on threats: Three DEs sue to stop AWS auction

WASHINGTON-Three groups sued the Federal Communications Commission over changes to small-business bidding rules, asking a federal appeals court in Philadelphia to immediately stay enforcement of new guidelines and delay the scheduled Aug. 9 start of the advanced wireless services auction pending judicial review of...

Ericsson leverages wireless for IPTV

CHICAGO-L.M. Ericsson launched a new end-to-end Internet Protocol TV offering, saying the solution is the first step in the company's long-term plans for TV services. During a press conference at the Globalcomm trade show, the company laid out its IPTV vision, explaining that it...

FCC hit with lawsuit over August AWS spectrum auction

WASHINGTON—Three groups sued the Federal Communications Commission over changes to small-business bidding rules, asking a federal appeals court in Philadelphia to immediately stay enforcement of new guidelines and delay the scheduled Aug. 9 start of the advanced wireless services auction pending juridical review of...

Ericsson leverages wireless plays for IPTV

CHICAGO—L.M. Ericsson launched a new end-to-end Internet Protocol TV offering, saying the solution is the first step in the company’s long-term plans for TV services. During a press conference at the Globalcomm trade show, the company laid out its IPTV vision, explaining that it...

Justice Dept, Gabelli reach settlement in auction fraud suit

NEW YORK—Lawyers for the Justice Department, Wall Street investor Mario Gabelli and Lynch Interactive Corp. told a federal judge they have settled a suit over spectrum auctions. The suit accuses Gabelli of defrauding the U.S. government of at least $85 million by hiding his...

FCC keeps AWS auction rules intact: Rules won’t apply to previous DEs

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission ruled late Friday to limit controversial small-business bidding changes to the advanced wireless services auction and future license sales, mollifying critics of retroactive provisions while emboldening other opponents to seek relief in court. The FCC's retreat in April from a...

FCC to revise DE rule changes

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission as early as today is expected to issue a new ruling addressing controversial changes to small business bidding rules ahead of the scheduled Aug. 9 start of the advanced wireless services auction, according to sources. Sources said a move by...

DEs and don’ts

The Federal Communications Commission likely was wise to postpone the auction of advanced wireless services spectrum in a calculated move that could deflect potential lawsuits from disgruntled designated entities. The DEs charge that changes to rules aimed at closing DE loopholes hurt them too...

Forget dual-band, think septa-band phone

The upcoming AWS auction of 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz spectrum, now slated for August, raises the question of how many frequency bands might be jammed onto a handset and whether that poses technical challenges for component and handset vendors. The answer, at least...

Legal, financial hurdles loom after AWS delay

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission's delay of the advanced wireless services auction from late June to early August has neither stemmed the controversy over small-business bidding changes nor removed the possibility of litigation for the agency. If anything, the FCC's problems are worse today than...

FCC to delay AWS auction until August

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission late Friday abruptly delayed the advanced wireless services auction until Aug. 9, saying applicants needed more time to prepare for the government's sale of 1,122 wireless licenses. The FCC made no mention of a petition for expedited reconsideration of DE...

Cingular, T-Mobile USA joint venture nears finish line

The once-noble joint venture between Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and T-Mobile USA Inc. that allowed each carrier to fill in a significant coverage hole-California and Nevada for T-Mobile USA, New York for Cingular-is nearing an end as both carriers are expected to exchange a series...

FCC to delay AWS auction until August

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission abruptly delayed the advanced wireless services auction until Aug. 9, saying applicants needed more time to prepare for the government’s sale of 1,122 wireless licenses. The FCC was to have begun the AWS auction June 29, but intense controversy over...

Test and measurement space explores customer experience, new technologies

No matter what type of network technology or application the wireless industry develops, you can bet that the test and measurement providers are prepared to measure how it performs. The major players tout equipment that can test basic voice and related services as well...

Challenges continue as carriers align for AWS auction

WASHINGTON-With the advanced wireless services auction quickly approaching and companies largely silent about their bidding intentions, controversy and uncertainty are slowly beginning to dominate an event billed as one of the biggest and most import sales of public airwaves in years. Already a health-related...

CTIA protests request to reconsider DE rules, delay AWS auction

WASHINGTON—The nation’s largest mobile-phone carriers asked the Federal Communications Commission to turn back an effort to have telecom regulators set aside and reconsider changes to small-business—or designated entity—bidding rules in advance of the June 29 start of the advanced wireless services auction. "The commission...