Wireless Telecommunications

The Justice Department is investigating whether AT&T and Verizon may have colluded to thwart a technology that could allow wireless customers to switch network providers more easily.

Apparently, the Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into potential coordination by AT&T, Verizon and a telecommunications standards organization to hinder consumers from easily switching wireless carriers. In Feb, the Justice Department issued demands to AT&T, Verizon and the GSMA, a mobile industry standards-setting group, for information on potential collusion to thwart a technology known as eSIM, apparently. 

Comcast and Charter announced a joint venture that will fuel both cable company's' continued move into the mobile broadband ecosystem. The partnership will focus on developing and operating backend systems that support both Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile, signaling a more committed effort for cable MSO-based mobile offerings. Each company will continue to operate their own mobile brands and their own customer-facing sales and marketing operations.

As a policymaker, I am committed to seeing the US win the 5G race. As with 4G, we have to focus on two things: spectrum and infrastructure. At the Federal Communications Commission, we have already assigned more high-band spectrum for 5G than any country in the world—we’re more than four gigahertz ahead of second-place China.  Cutting regulatory red tape is a big deal because it can flip the business case for thousands of communities. Communities that might have been uneconomical for the private sector to serve, will now get their shot at next-gen networks.

[Speech] Over the last three-plus years, the Commission has rightly focused its time and energy to ensure that next-generation, or 5G, networks come to fruition. Why is this so important? It’s about a global race to be the first among many competing nations to 5G. Leading the world in 5G will allow U.S. companies to help shape its future growth, standards, and capabilities – all of which have a tremendous impact on our future economic success.

The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to help protect the security of the nation’s communications networks through its stewardship of the over $8.5 billion a year Universal Service Fund (USF). The FCC is seeking comment on a proposal to prohibit use of USF funds on the purchase of equipment or services from any company that poses a national security threat to the integrity of US communications networks or the communications supply chain. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking also seeks comment on a number of issues, including:

Today the Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a rule to prohibit the future use of Universal Service Funds to purchase equipment or services from providers identified as posing a national security risk. Congress has repeatedly expressed concern about the potential for supply chain vulnerability to undermine national security, and I will vote to approve. But our communications networks face other security threats that we cannot continue to ignore.

In the race to get to 5G wireless technology in a real way, China is poised to lead the world.  That's according to a study conducted by Analysys Mason, which found that China had the best combination of wireless carriers committing to the technology, government backing for research, a clear rollout plan by 2020 and government commitment of spectrum, or the radio airwaves critical to deliver wireless service. After China, South Korea, then the US and Japan make up global leaders in 5G, according to the firm.

Key findings by Analysys Mason include:

The US blocked Chinese telecommunications-gear maker ZTE Corp. from exporting sensitive technology from America, alleging the company made false statements to US officials.  The Commerce Department has determined ZTE made false statements to the Bureau of Industry and Security in 2016 and 2017 related to “senior employee disciplinary actions the company said it was taking or had already taken,” the department said.

The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced a five-year cooperative research and development agreement with the University of Colorado Boulder to develop a wireless test bed. NTIA’s Boulder-based Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) will work with the university to install spectrum monitoring sensors throughout the CU Boulder campus, with data to be available to both parties for spectrum management research.