Fierce

It’s a good thing the Federal Communications Commission is planning to approve satellite licenses via an assembly-line process, because SpaceX has filed an application with the FCC, seeking to deploy its new Gen3 broadband constellation of up to 100,000 low-Earth-orbit satellites.

Hindsight is 20/20. But you didn’t need a crystal ball in 2019 to know that the U.S. government’s decision to tap Dish Network (eventually, Dish Wireless) to become the country’s fourth wireless carrier wouldn’t pan out well. And the regulators who waved it on—both at the time and as cracks in the plan became more evident—need to be held accountable. I’d argue that we never should have even gotten to this point. Not even close.

One of the biggest things to emerge from Dish’s bankruptcy filing is EchoStar’s plan to sell Dish Wireless, with EchoStar acting as a stalking horse bidder, meaning it would set a minimum price for the assets. Under the plan submitted to the U.S.

What’s the status of the Boost Mobile cell phone service now that Dish Wireless and Dish DBS filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection? In a few words: It’s business as usual, as EchoStar pointed out in its press release.

Some T-Mobile customers are being notified today that they’re getting moved to newer, sometimes pricier, rate plans. Basically, a lot of customers are on plans so old that they can’t experience the full greatness of T-Mobile’s current 5G and 5G Advanced network. At least, that’s how they’re justifying the switch. “We think ultimately it will improve their experience with us,” said T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Allan Samson. A segment of customers will see a price increase of about $4 per line; others will see less and some will see “a little bit” more, he said.

February 8, 2026, marked 30 years since the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the first major overhaul of U.S. communications law since 1934. Designed to deregulate the industry and open markets to competition, the legislation aimed to break up entrenched monopolies and lower costs for consumers. For MetTel, the anniversary is more than just symbolic. The company’s origins are directly tied to the law’s creation.

Another struggling rural carrier is shutting down. Carolina West Wireless struck an agreement to transition its wireless network to Verizon and will end its wireless services effective September 30, 2026. Terms were not disclosed. Based in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Carolina West Wireless was formed 35 years ago and is owned by a partnership of Skyline Telephone and Surry Communications. The company provides wireless service across 11 western North Carolina counties.