BROWSING: AWS

Equipment vendors gear up for FCC’s upcoming auction

LAS VEGAS—Wireless vendors are prepping products and services to take advantage of the Federal Communications Commission’s auction of Advanced Wireless Services spectrum in the 1700 MHz/2100 MHz and 700 MHz bands scheduled to begin in two months. Click here to see all of RCR...

FCC moving forward with controversial closed bidding plans for AWS auction

WASHINGTON-Despite concern about the potential for collusion at the upcoming advanced wireless services auction and the need to head off any problems by limiting bidder information, federal officials admit they have pursued only a handful of cases where suspected abuse led to enforcement action....

Cingular to shutter TDMA, analog networks by end of 2008

Cingular Wireless L.L.C. started out in 2001 as a company with a network that was more than two-thirds TDMA and analog technology. Now, the company has indicated that it is on track to turn off both its legacy TDMA and analog networks in 2008....

Proposal to change auction rules draws industry fire

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission picked up support from the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to employ blind bidding at June's advanced wireless services auction. But outside of government the proposal has set off a storm of controversy that has wireless carriers largely opposed...

Regional operators post mixed 4Q, year-end results

It was a week of mixed results for regional carriers, as numbers trickled in from a handful of operators-some of which had delayed their reporting or had to restate prior earnings. Leap Wireless International Inc. had a slightly weaker-than-expected fourth quarter, but the company...

Winds of (auction) change

You can almost smell the blood. It's pre-auction season. And this year, with some decent spectrum up for grabs in the AWS auction set for June, the battle should be intense. As such, a number of interests are pressuring the government to change some...

SunCom 4Q down on AT&T Wireless migration costs

BERWYN, Pa.—SunCom Wireless Holdings Inc. posted a loss for 2005, which the company said was due to a transitional year of migrating former AT&T Wireless Services Inc. customers onto SunCom’s network. The regional operator had warned in January that it expected a $14 million...

Congressional Black Caucus argues against bidding discounts for large wireless operators

WASHINGTON—The Congressional Black Caucus has urged Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin to prohibit the awarding of spectrum auction bidding discounts to small business applicants affiliated with the five largest mobile phone carriers in the United States. "We are concerned that the commission’s current...

Justice Department joins Gabelli auction fraud suit

WASHINGTON-The Justice Department last week asked U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty for permission to join the auction fraud lawsuit against Wall Street telecom magnate Mario Gabelli, upping the stakes of the litigation at a time when federal regulators are scrambling to enact reforms that...

Government seeks to join auction fraud lawsuit

WASHINGTON-The Justice Department asked U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty to join the spectrum auction fraud lawsuit against Wall Street telecom magnate Mario Gabelli, upping the stakes of the litigation at a time when federal regulators are scrambling to enact reforms that could ban national...

DE rules misguided, CTIA contends

WASHINGTON-The mobile-phone industry said the Federal Communications Commission is misguided in proposing to limit small-business bidding benefits to top carriers at this June's advanced wireless services auction. CTIA, the mobile-phone carrier association, said the FCC proposal discriminates against large in-region wireless operators and small-...

FCC wrestles with auction rules in advance of June 29 start date

WASHINGTON-The long-awaited advanced wireless services auction, with its high-rolling bidders expected to account for much of the $10 billion to $15 billion in anticipated license sales, could occur largely in the dark. The Federal Communications Commission, acknowledging the auction's high stakes and concerned about...

AWS auction could spell windfall for government, though analysts differ on value

The Federal Communications Commission's planned auction of so-called "advanced wireless services" spectrum scheduled for June could spell a windfall for government coffers, though analysts are mixed on the amount of said windfall. The government has said it expects to generate $25 billion during the...

Cincinnati Bell adds subs while earnings falter

Cincinnati Bell Inc. reported that it added 15,000 postpaid wireless customers in the fourth quarter of 2005-the company's best wireless performance since the fourth quarter of 2001. However, the company's overall earnings slipped from $18.3 million, or 7 cents per share, a year ago...

Cingular expands network in Connecticut, Mississippi

ATLANTA, Ga.-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. said it completed network enhancements in Connecticut and Mississippi.In Connecticut, the carrier completed $45 million of work last year, including integrating its network with that of the former AT&T Wireless Services Inc. The operator incorporated 292 cell sites from the...

White House denies Wi-Fi tax; satellite, taxi companies could face spectrum fees

WASHINGTON-The White House today clarified that a new budget proposal to set user fees on un-auctioned spectrum would not lead to taxes on frequencies designated for Wi-Fi. But the White House said satellite, taxi and other industry sectors that do not pay for spectrum...

FCC rushes DE rules for June auction

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission late last week opened a review of a program that gives bidding discounts to small businesses in wireless license auctions, a move that comes only five months before the auction of advanced wireless service licenses and the June trial of...

FCC sets June 29 as wireless auction date

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission today set June 29 as the date to sell advanced wireless service licenses. The FCC said it plans to sell 1,122 AWS licenses in the 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2155 MHz bands using the agency's simultaneous multiple-round auction format.The commission is...

As voice, data services converge, handset sales channels expand

The evolution of the wireless industry has had a profound effect on the players involved. Within all levels of the market, companies have had to scramble to adapt to changing demands and conditions. And the rollercoaster isn't likely to slow down-for anyone. From carriers...

SunCom reverses guidance, hires financial adviser

Regional wireless operator SunCom Wireless Holdings Inc. said it expects to report a $14 million loss for the fourth quarter of 2005. The carrier also said it no longer plans to give any guidance or commentary on future performance. SunCom had previously forecast a...

SunCom reverses 4Q guidance, hires financial and legal adviser

BERWYN, Pa.-Regional wireless operator SunCom Wireless Holdings Inc. said it expects to report a $14 million loss for the fourth quarter of 2005 and that it no longer plans to give any guidance or commentary on future performance. SunCom had previously forecast a fourth-quarter...

Comsearch releases spectrum management planner for upcoming FCC auction

ORLAND PARK, Ill.-Comsearch, which specializes in spectrum management, said it has come up with a new product designed to give wireless carriers the lay of the Advanced Wireless Spectrum land prior to the Federal Communications Commission auction, which is slated for this summer. Comsearch...

FCC in crunch to address DE rules before June auction

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission may lack the time to make changes to designated-entity rules before this June's third-generation wireless auction, a possibility that may upset the agency's two Democrats at a time when litigation has surfaced alleging Wall Street mogul Mario Gabelli skirted small-business...

Top 10 RCRNews.com stories for 2005

Editor's Note: Following are the 10 most viewed stories on RCRNews.com for 2005. The most-viewed story is first on the list. In some cases, the story was too long to reprint the entire article in this space. Verizon Wireless halts telemarketing calls with lawsuitsBEDMINSTER,...