Monica Alleven

The AWS-3 auction kicked off with around 200 licenses formerly owned by EchoStar on the block. But with three rounds down, it appears that the auction anticipation—particularly around SpaceX’s involvement—has proved bigger than actual operator appetites. Bids totaled $59.3 million at the end of three rounds of bidding, with that number jumping only about $5 million from $54 million at the end of round two.

AT&T unveiled its new Build-A-Plan wireless offer, starting at $15/month, where customers can adjust their mobile and hotspot data to fit their needs on a month-to-month basis. The plan doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles that many high-end plans offer, which is the point.

SpaceX’s highly anticipated S-1 filing is the latest reminder that Starlink Mobile’s ambitions go beyond filling dead zones in mostly rural areas. “While we expect Starlink Mobile service today to be most impactful for customers in remote areas uncovered by terrestrial mobile networks … we will compete to be the preferred connectivity experience to our customers no matter where they are located, whether in rural, suburban, or urban areas,” SpaceX said in the filing. Those ambition

What’s clear from the direct-to-device (D2D) joint venture announcement by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon is: not much. It certainly raises more questions than it answers. For example: Is this JV real if there’s no definitive agreement yet? How will SpaceX respond? Will the Department of Justice (DoJ) allow it? When does T-Mobile’s exclusivity agreement with SpaceX/Starlink expire? And how big is the D2D market going to be once Amazon Leo, AST SpaceMobile, and others join Starlink?

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service community has a message for anyone pushing for higher CBRS power levels: back off. CBRS proponents held a webinar hosted by New America where they highlighted two studies—one showing how the private wireless CBRS network market is growing and another describing the enormous disruption that would result if higher power levels were introduced. For the past several years, wireless carriers have been pushing for higher power base stations in the 3.55-3.7 GHz CBRS ban

EchoStar subsidiary Dish Wireless agreed to pay $17,280,240 to settle government allegations that it fraudulently took money from federal programs designed to help low-income people get broadband services. The U.S.

It’s pretty well-known that T-Mobile’s 2.5 GHz spectrum is its workhorse, on top of the 600 MHz that comprises the lowest layer of its spectrum “layer cake.” Its use of millimeter wave—which sits at the top of the cake—isn’t so well-known.

The Federal Communications Commission denied requests by multiple satellite companies—including SpaceX—for access to spectrum, saying it’s all about enabling the direct-to-device market to flourish. Our first reaction was: Huh? How does denying satellite companies access to spectrum encourage them to compete in the D2D space?  Turns out, it’s actually providing regulatory certainty in a very uncertain but highly hyped industry.

Everyone knows Verizon’s in turnaround mode, big time.

Cliff Steinberg’s family owns a busy street corner building in the SoHo district of Manhattan. The first floor is home to the Grand Street Social restaurant, with various commercial tenants on other levels of the five-story building. About four years ago, he was approached about using the building to house Dish’s 5G antennas.