The House bill contains language in Section 4105 that prevents the FCC from restricting who can bid in a spectrum auction, i.e. it states that the commission cannot set up auction parameters to prevent tier-one operators from winning the entire auction. The bill also restricts the commission’s authority to set aside spectrum for unlicensed uses.

Of note, the majority in the House has publicly stated that they believe the parameters they are imposing on the commission will generate more revenue for the U.S. Treasury. However, thus far they have refused to cap the amount of money that will be paid to broadcasters to incentivize their vacating their current spectrum holdings.

The first panel consisted of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Reed Hundt, who served as FCC Chairman from 1993-1997 and led the commission during its first spectrum auction. The panel was in agreement that the current House bill will stiffly innovation and industry growth.

Sen. Kerry said that the proposed language is putting the future of the next generation of Wi-Fi at risk. He said that currently 65% of tablet users access Wi-Fi networks to access the Internet, and this number is only expected to grow. Sen. Kerry believes that the auction parameters should maximize the market potential, not just the revenue for the treasury. He stressed that the expert agency, the FCC, should be making the decisions on how to maximize the benefits of the auction, not politicians.

Sen. Moran spoke about the real implication that the House bill, as written today, would prevent job growth through innovation. He stressed his interest in technology came from the work being done in Kansas and other rural areas with startup companies who are innovating every day. Sen. Moran maintains that the FCC has done an acceptable job in the past managing auctions and they should be allowed to continue to do so.

Hundt pointed out many flaws contained in the current House language. The work that innovators have already done is how America has been established a leader in technology, especially as it relates to the unlicensed market. Hundt warned congressional leaders not to accept a bad bill in order to pass the rest of the package.

The next panel featured both technical experts and consumer advocates. Rusty Irvin is the CEO of StratusWave Communications, a wireless Internet service provider (WISP) in West Virginia. Because of West Virginia’s unique topography, Irvin maintains that his company is only able to operate in concentrated urban areas for hospitals and schools. StratusWave would like to push further into unserved areas, but is unable to do so until more effective technology becomes available.

Yochai Benkler, Berkman Professor of Entrepreneurial Legal Studies at Harvard University, spoke about the different business models for unlicensed spectrum. In a draft paper released yesterday, he calls for increased access to unlicensed spectrum for companies, and that the government must balance the need for the primary vs. secondary markets. He listed the explosion of industries that now depend on unlicensed spectrum, from UPS fleet management, to smart grid companies, to home health monitoring and mobile payments through RFID technology. He believes the need for unlicensed spectrum will only increase as technology is moving away from strictly cellular technology to more unregulated arenas.

Mark Cooper, director of research for Consumer Federation of America, released a study this fall stating that unlicensed spectrum consumer benefits exceed $50 billion per year. The study goes on to suggest that consumers’ use of Wi-Fi at home or in “hot spots” actually benefits cellular companies by offloading traffic that would otherwise clog the network. Additionally, he cited similar machine-to-machine benefits that Benkler had identified earlier.

James Assey, senior vice president for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, spoke of the innovative ways the cable industry has been enabling its customers to have access to Wi-Fi hot spots even when end users travel outside their home area. Cablevision started the trend in 2008 and many companies are following suit. Assey cited the explosion of content as one of the main drivers in the need for unlicensed spectrum.

The final panelist, Peter Stanforth, chief technology officer for Spectrum Bridge, spoke about his company’s efforts to expand white space usage. Last week, Spectrum Bridge launched the first live commercial whites spaces network in Wilmington, N.C,. that will enable applications such as enabling telemetry, remote security and remote utility monitoring. Stanforth stressed that this is just the beginning of possibilities for white spaces technology, yet the House is seeking to end these efforts before they get off the ground.

In related news, earlier this week I attended an event for Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who along with Senators Kerry, Moran and Mark Warner (D-Va.) sent leadership a letter regarding the current language in the House bill. These Senators, who are seen as leaders when it comes to technology in the Senate, called on the House to rethink their current direction because of the damage that will be caused to the development of new technology.

Sen. Snowe expressed disbelief that the House would choose to tie the commission’s hands in such a way to prevent access to this important spectrum for small and minority businesses. Her voice is particularly important as she currently serves as the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Additionally, the language that is currently being considered has not been fully vetted in hearings and the implications are not completely understood. This is why nearly 300 technology companies sent a letter in December to the leaders, and the Chairman and Ranking members in both chambers, calling for the repeal of the current language contained in the bill. The conferees on the Payroll Tax bill are currently meeting to try to agree on a full extension of the payroll tax cut and may try to use spectrum auctions as an offset for the costs of that tax cut.

NTCA contacted leadership offices this week also to express concern with the language contained in the House bill, which could prevent our member companies from gaining access to this valuable spectrum. Rural companies should not be shut out of this important spectrum auction and we will continue to work with policymakers to ensure NTCA member companies can participate.

Related posts:

1. Industry Event Focuses on Spectrum Shortage
2. FCC To Help Consumers Avoid ‘Bill Shock’
3. Verizon to Acquire Large Chunk of AWS Spectrum via Cable Companies

You’re surprised that your alarm went off 20 minutes earlier than you expected. That’s because it retrieved weather and traffic information and understood that you needed to leave the house earlier due to a snowstorm. It also communicated with your car to ensure that the electric engine re-charged itself overnight, as planned.

As you finish getting ready, it beeps again to inform you that it’s starting your car to de-ice the windows. It contacts your GPS to send the most updated directions based on road closures and information. As you leave the house to drive away, your car signals your home automation system to lock all doors, change the thermostat to save energy and arm your security system.

This automation is possible thanks in large part to machine-to-machine (M2M) technology. In its most basic form, M2M involves devices that communicate autonomously, without human involvement. M2M indicates that everyday objects are readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable and controllable through the Internet. In fact, M2M is now synonymous with the “Internet of things.”

Harish Viswanathan, CTO advisor for M2M and Devices at Alcatel-Lucent, asserts that M2M encompasses any device with a remote sensor. “Typically M2M implies a single-function device used for monitoring and control, unlike tablets and smartphones that have multiple applications and purposes,” he said. “M2M devices also are not human engineered; in most cases they lack a direct human interface. Rather, data is collected and sent back to a central node, where it can be viewed and analyzed via an application.” This application is often accessible via the cloud.

M2M is not a new idea. Initially, M2M referred to specialized science and engineering devices. However, during the past 10 years, wireless sensors, public networks and computer technologies have improved. At the same time, electronics manufacturers are incorporating Internet connectivity into many new devices. As a result, M2M now connects a variety of objects with a back-end IT infrastructure, communicating data and real-time intelligence.

Industry-Specific Applications

A variety of vertical industries are adopting M2M technology. The healthcare industry is utilizing M2M for remote monitoring of patients. In the hospital, when every piece of equipment from digital thermometers to heart monitors is networked together and associated with a patient ID, health care practitioners have access to a wealth of real-time data on patient health.

M2M technology also can be used to monitor a patient’s vital statistics outside of the medical facility, reporting information back to the health care practitioner. For instance, MedApps produces cellular devices that collect data from medical devices—such as glucose meters, blood pressure monitors, scales and pulse oximeters—and automatically upload it to the patient’s electronic health record in the cloud.

The transportation and manufacturing industry utilizes M2M for asset and fleet management. M2M enables the company to precisely locate and monitor the cargo; modules can transmit weight and other pertinent factors. Wal-Mart pioneered the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID), wireless M2M technology to track and manage its inventory throughout the supply chain.

M2M plays a role in audio and video surveillance. For instance, M2M technology may permit or bar people from entering a restricted area. Caregivers could be alerted if a child strays from his normal school-home track, or if an elderly individual moves from his location without prior notice.

In an agriculture setting, M2M technology can assist with the surveillance of crops and livestock. A Dutch start-up called Sparked is using M2M technology to monitor the health of livestock. The company implants a sensor in a cow’s ear to measure the animal’s vital signs. The data is wirelessly transferred to a central cloud server. It provides information about fluctuations in diet, a cow’s response to environmental factors and herd behavior. Remote M2M sensors also can monitor the health of soil and crops, transmitting information regarding water and fertilization levels.

In 2010, the New Edge published a primer on the smart energy grid, highlighting how smart sensors embedded with M2M technology can remotely monitor the health of the electrical grid and enable real-time energy usage, pricing and analysis.

The smart home will take this one step further, applying M2M to the consumer setting. Through M2M technology, the automated home network may include appliances, smoke alarms, security systems, entertainment gadgets, medical devices, thermostats and any other electronic device that has network connectivity. Devices will be able to communicate and be controlled through one central computer or remotely via a cloud application.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. M2M can be utilized by a variety of industries to improve security and monitoring, automate services, create efficiencies and reduce costs.

nPhase, wholly owned by Verizon, has an established history with M2M devices dating back to 2003. nPhase CEO Steve Pazol tells rural telcos not to confuse the vertical industry with specific M2M applications. For instance, rural electric providers might be looking for the obvious smart meter applications which record and transmit a consumer’s real-time energy usage, but they also could be looking for mobile fleet tracking applications for their service fleets and applications to monitor their transmission infrastructure—three different M2M applications that could be offered by the same company.

A Nascent Market

M2M encompasses a diverse range of devices, from fixed objects that transmit intermittent bursts of data, to mobile machines that continuously send high-bandwidth video. Common devices include sensors, identification tags, handsets, machines and meters.

M2M also utilizes a variety of underlying networking technologies. Wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC), RFID, WiFi and Zigbee are used for defined, small distances, while CDMA, GSM, LTE, WiMAX and satellite are used for long-range connections. Wireline connectivity also is utilized for fixed devices or for backhaul purposes.

In a February 2011 report, Ericsson predicted that that there will be 50 billion connected devices by 2020, utilizing fixed and wireless technologies.[1] The GSM Association (GSMA) is slightly more conservative, estimating that the number of connected devices will increase from approximately 9 billion in October 2011, to more than 24 billion in 2020.[2] ABI Research, in a study that narrowly focuses on the mobile M2M market, reports that the segment will grow robustly from 71 million in 2009, to almost 300 million by 2015.[3] Looking at the market from another angle, Cisco reports that M2M traffic is expected to increase 258% between 2010-2015.[4]

Regardless of how you define the ecosystem, M2M is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. “There is tremendous interest in M2M from a variety of industries and enterprises,” Viswanathan said. “But in regard to market penetration, we are just getting started. Less than 5% of potential connected devices are actually connectable to the IP network today. “

Pazol agrees that M2M will experience a tremendous amount of growth thanks in large part to tier-one service providers. “AT&T and Verizon have dedicated M2M divisions that are out in the field, engaging with verticals and generating demand for this technology and its applications,” Pazol said. “But they won’t win 100% of the business.”

Viswanathan explained that the true value of M2M has yet to be experienced. Connected devices allow for automation and efficiency, but as the market develops, additional value will be gained through collecting and analyzing data from distributed devices.

“Intermediate growth will be gained through more device deployments and applications,” Viswanathan said. “But in the long-term, the second generation of M2M will be more elaborate and intricate, leveraging multiple sensors and correlating info for data analysis—kind of like a search engine for remote devices.” He explained that M2M information will be widely available and accessible to mashup applications, which will unite disparate data sources to create new services.

On the consumer side of the market, M2M will track habits, purchases and behavior. Mining that data will provide information to operators, marketers and ultimately to consumers. For instance, imagine entering a grocery store and a sensor triggers your smartphone to populate a grocery list based upon what’s already in your fridge, your past purchases, your doctor’s recommendations for your individual health status and the sale items in the store. With M2M technology, this service may become a reality.

An analogy can be made to the smartphone application marketplace. Years ago, before the development of an active, third-party application ecosystem, we could not imagine the possibilities for a handheld device. Likewise, with M2M the boundaries for new products, services and applications have yet to be explored.

Stay tuned for part two in the series, which will explore industry challenges and standards.

Related posts:

1. Telemedicine: Remote Patient Monitoring
2. AT&T Partners with Digi on Smart Grid Applications
3. AT&T Launches Ambitious Telehealth Initiative

DCT,  faced with changing out its IPTV middleware platform elected to go with APMAX® from Innovative Systems to serve nearly 5000 subscribers in South Central North Dakota. Larson added, “Finding qualified people to maintain your system, especially in the head end and picking a stable middleware provider should be two of your high ranking considerations.”

In addition to IPTV, DCT provides customers in the Carrington and Jamestown areas with high-speed Internet and voice services. In business for more than 60 years, DCT customers receive their services via a state-of-the-art fiber optic network.

According to a press release regarding the Innovative Systems APMAX middleware, the IP Multimedia System (IMS) Applications server is the only platform that delivers enhanced voice services together with IPTV solutions. In addition, eLation®, a fully integrated open source software (OSS) solution that includes billing, financials, staking and mapping applications, is bundled with the communications and IPTV features.

For additional information see Innovative Systems’ website.

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1. Santa Rosa Switches to Innovative Systems’ Middleware
2. Venus Telephone Selects Skitter.TV for Hybrid IPTV/OTT Service
3. Canby Telcom Selects EchoStar’s ViP-TV

More than 20 appeals of the FCC’s recent USF/ICC reform order have been filed, and it will be fascinating to see the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit sort through all of the concerns raised. Of course, many of the appellants raise common issues, such as challenges to retroactive caps on cost recovery and/or the mandatory drive toward a default zero ICC rate for all switched services. (NTCA teed up both of these issues, among others, in its docketing statement filed with the court.)

But one party’s filing jumped out at me the other day. A docketing statement filed by the VON Coalition presents one straightforward – but quite astounding – issue:

The VON Coalition seeks review of the portions of the Report and Order . . . that impose a “No Blocking” obligation on providers of interconnected Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and one-way VoIP services . . . .

Before turning to why this appeal is so astounding from a public policy perspective, let’s step back and consider who’s part of the VON Coalition. The group’s website indicates that its members include AT&T, Google and Vonage. These are companies who typically claim to take very seriously seamless internetworking and the demands of consumers. Vonage years ago challenged a carrier that was allegedly blocking ports used by customers to initiate and receive VoIP traffic. Meanwhile, Google was one of the leading voices in public policy circles in the “net neutrality” debates, arguing among other things that a nondiscrimination rule should prevent “broadband providers from blocking, degrading, or prioritizing Internet traffic.”

So at least one leading member of the VON Coalition has argued that blocking in the context of a regulated telecom service is bad. Some VON members have argued that blocking in the context of a broadband information service is bad. But apparently, if it’s a different kind of information service (which is where many VoIP providers see themselves) or if it falls somewhere between an information and telecom service (which is where some others see VoIP), VON thinks a different standard should apply.

It’s astonishing to see the VON Coalition make such arguments given where they have been on blocking issues. Even if there could be legitimate questions about the application of certain obligations to information services, the FCC narrowly applied its new blocking rule to calls destined for or coming from the PSTN – and, once again, the VON Coalition seems to have no problem with applying blocking prohibitions even more broadly to information services in other contexts.

Before treading further down this rather awkward path, the VON Coalition group might want to revisit the prior consumer-centric mantra articulated by Google:

The fundamental principle is that it should be the consumer . . . that chooses what content and applications he or she interacts with, and which . . . services, applications and content will be the winners and losers. Thus, as the Commission has proposed, the core affirmative function of the nondiscrimination rule should be to prevent a [] provider from using its control over the network to favor or disadvantage (by blocking, degrading, prioritizing, throttling or other means) particular sources of content or applications.

AT&T rightfully noted in its own Public Policy Blog a while back the concerns about allowing some industry players to block calls on the PSTN while others were subject to blocking prohibitions. The FCC took sensible steps in its recent order to help remedy this regulatory disparity, in the interests of consumers and the integrity of the PSTN. It’s one thing for parties to have disagreements about compensation structures or interconnection rights. But it’s another thing altogether to see parties who purport to stand up for consumer interests against blocking in the context of both information and telecom services try to wiggle out of consumer protection duties when those obligations boomerang back their way. This ultimately begs the question – who is the VON Coalition really trying to protect?

Stay informed about the FCC’s USF/ICC reform proceeding. Read the Washington Report (NTCA member log-in required).

Related posts:

1. ATIS PSTN Transition Team in Place and More
2. Google Intros Public DNS Service
3. Google Testing Desktop VoIP Client

The SuperCenter is home to the alliance’s IP Multimedia System (IMS) framework.  A recent press release to announce completion of the SuperCenter describes the IMS as the key element in the delivery of a “full range of integrated Internet Protocol (IP) based multimedia services.”  The IMS core allows the independent carriers who make up the alliance to offer high-quality features and applications and a 4G LTE service to their customers in each member’s license area.

Crucial to the alliance’s members is that the IMS core enables independent carriers to protect their wireline and/or cellular business while including 4G LTE in their service offering, making true convergence of the technologies a reality.

The NOC is staffed 24-hours per day, seven days per week by NetAmerica personnel. It provides the alliance’s members with network monitoring and support.

“Completion of the world class SuperCenter is a milestone for the Alliance,” said Scott Donlea, Executive Vice President and COO of NetAmerica. “It allows members to compete on a level not possible without the Alliance and provides the services they need, together with the 24/7 support, to offer advanced services to the citizens of rural America.”

For more information, read the release.

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1. NetAmerica Launches Rural 4G Pilot Network
2. NetAmerica Alliance Announces First Rural Participants
3. Panhandle Joins NetAmerica Alliance for 4G

After separate bankruptcy proceedings last year, Dish Network now holds DBSD North America, Inc. and TerreStar Networks, Inc. and their satellite spectrum licenses. Dish recently petitioned the FCC for an ancillary terrestrial component waiver that it says it will use to provide a wireless-hybrid 4G LTE network.

In its letter to the FCC dated January 26, AT&T states that it supports Dish’s efforts to gain approval in transferring the DBSD North America and TerreStar licenses to facilitate the new service.  However, AT&T is advocating an aggressive network build out for the service, requiring network availability to 100 million people in 33 months, arguing that Dish Network should be held to the same build-out schedule as that required of LightSquared, currently waiting for FCC approval for a similar venture.

The Dish build-out schedule request also may be a very strong signal that AT&T, currently trailing rival company Verizon in controlling requisite amounts of spectrum to support high-speed Internet and video services, has eyes on buying Dish Network.

AT&T abandoned the $39 billion T-Mobile USA acquisition at the end of 2011 after the Department of Justice and the FCC both issued notices opposing the deal. Considering the reversal AT&T is making in the January 26 letter on the Dish Network petition from comments filed late last year concerning the Dish Network project, AT&T may have revealed its purchase target in its quest to attain additional spectrum.

In a January 31 Bloomberg article on AT&T and Dish Network, Stefan Anninger of Credit Suisse values the Dish spectrum at $8.6 billion, using the recently announced and pending Verizon $3.9 billion purchase from Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications of unused spectrum as his base of measure.

Related posts:

1. Court Approves Dish Deal
2. Dish Makes Another Bid
3. Report: AT&T May Acquire Dish Network, Echostar

The technology is particularly useful for serving less densely populated areas, such as rural areas, where most vacant TV channels can be found. The low frequencies used by the white spaces travel well through buildings and varied terrain and can operate in a 50-mile radius with a single access point.

Wilmington is using the unlicensed spectrum to service its entire “Smart City” initiative, including video surveillance, free wireless Internet access in city parks, and water monitoring solutions.

It’s been a long road for white space advocates. The FCC conducted a variety of tests of the technology and industry heavy weights such as Dell, Google and Microsoft championed the effort. In November 2008, the commission first approved the use of white spaces, with a variety of conditions in place to protect for interference with neighboring broadcast TV stations and wireless microphones. In October 2009, Spectrum Bridge launched the first white spaces trial in a rural location. Almost two years later, in August 2011, the IEEE approved the first white spaces standard.

Back in 2010, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski coined the term “Super WiFi” to refer to white spaces technology, a term that was later adopted by the industry and tech trade press, and championed by the Wireless Innovation Alliance.

But now that the technology is finally gaining mainstream name recognition and momentum, the Wi-Fi Alliance, which holds the trademark to the term “Wi-Fi,” has issued a clear warning to stop using “super Wi-Fi” to refer to white space service.  The group maintains that the underlying technology is not WiFi, and calling it such will only lead to consumer confusion. The solution? The Wi-Fi Alliance suggests the more accurate description  – “traditional Wi-Fi routers that include white space spectrum.”

On the one hand, I see their point. For instance, let’s take a look at the term “4G.” Major wireless providers have muddied the waters, using 4G to apply to a variety of technologies from mobile WiMax to HSPA+ and LTE.

As a result, it wasn’t really all that surprising when Nielsen reported last year that consumers are confused about what 4G refers to. In fact, just last week, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) approved specifications for the next generation of wireless broadband.

Both LTE Advanced and WiMAX 2 meet the 100 Mbps speed standard, and can provide speeds up to 500x faster than typical 3G connections while using spectrum much more efficiently. The ITU standards setting body calls this 4G but the industry will have to call it something else since they call the previous iterations of WiMAX and LTE their 4G offerings. Talk about consumer confusion.

On the other hand, I’m not really sure it matters how we refer to each generation of wireless technology  — or white spaces vs. Wifi — as long as the industry is consistent and clear about the devices, applications and real-world network speeds.

With white spaces technology, the customer will be outfitted with a special WiFi router that will operate in this new spectrum band. From his perspective, it will be faster than traditional WiFi and receive a stronger signal through walls.

Consumers don’t need to grasp the underlying technology, but they do not to be able to differentiate one service over another and understand the resulting benefits.

Related posts:

1. Nielsen: Consumers Confused by Term ’4G’
2. Vendors Develop DSL Technologies to Boost Speed
3. Multi-Gig Wireless?

Additionally, the higher priced Exede comes with a few restrictions that have customers less-than-thrilled with the service. While the bandwidth is larger than before, the daily usage is capped. Called the “fair access policy or FAP,”  the bandwidth  cap is set to a lower total bandwidth than existing customer’s WildBlue service.

Considering the high cost for satellite service and a need to add new customers quickly, it is likely that any additional increase in speed or relaxation of the FAP restrictions will take time. Any improvement is good except when it comes with a crippling restriction.

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1. WildBlue Adds Capacity in Rural Areas
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3. Satellite Broadband Providers Announce Next-Gen Offerings

According to Verizon Director of Product Development, Home Monitoring and Control Ann Shaub, most customers opt-in to the complete smart home package that includes door sensors, door locks and cameras, along with the energy package.

While Verizon doesn’t claim that use of the energy control package will save money or energy, it is clear that for most customers the added advantage is the level of security and media management the complete package performs, according to Shaub.

According to Verizon, approximately 95% of smart home customers install their own devices, although Verizon continues to work with Ingersoll-Rand for security systems and Aeon Labs for energy and thermostats.

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LightSquared‘s plans are currently on hold, waiting for approval from the FCC before it can begin operations with its wholesale partners.

To that end, the FCC last week requested public comment on a petition from LightSquared requesting a finding that global positioning systems (GPS) do not merit legal protection from interference that may occur once LightSquared becomes operational. LightSquared also released a statement encouraging the GPS device manufacturers to release details concerning how their devices performed under the government testing of the LightSquared spectrum. Although shielded by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), LightSquared urged the GPS makers to voluntarily withdraw the NDAs to add clarity to the findings.

Also last week, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa),  ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Philip Falcone, CEO of Harbinger Capital Partners, the primary investor in LightSquared, concerning “questionable” communications with his office.

According to Sen. Grassley, he has been asked to tone down and back away from his investigation and criticisms regarding the FCC handling of the petitions and requests for operations by LightSquared. Sen. Grassley described a conversation with Todd Ruelle, chairman and CEO of Fine Point Technologies. Mr. Ruelle is alleged to have remarked that his company “only gets paid if the deal goes through.”  Mr. Ruelle then apparently commented that a call center would be built in Iowa, once LightSquared received the go ahead to operate its network. Mr. Grassley indicated that he would not pull back.

In an article published by TR Daily, Mr. Falcone was reported to have disavowed the suggestions and behaviors of Mr. Ruelle, indicating that Mr. Ruelle was acting entirely on his own.

Staff members from the FCC recently met with Sen. Grassley in a two-and-a-half-hour meeting concerning LightSquared.

In a related story: AT&T issued recommendations in an ex parte filing concerning the Dish Network’s request for an ancillary terrestrial component waiver similar to the waiver granted to LightSquared, and approval of license transfers that would allow Dish Network to begin operating a 4G LTE satellite/terrestrial hybrid network.

AT&T indicates that Dish Network should be held to the same build-out requirements as LightSquared and that Dish should adhere to the same performance standards. AT&T asked the FCC to hold Dish to the same 700 Mhz interference rules applicable to other 700 Mhz licenses.

AT&T said that like LightSquared, Dish should provide terrestrial coverage for 100 million people in 33 months and 260 million people in 69 months. AT&T also indicated that the Commission should “reject calls to impose on Dish the same unlawful and anticompetitive spectrum use restrictions as were adopted in the Harbinger/SkyTerra Order.” The order restricted SkyTerra from providing any bandwidth via the terrestrial network to the top two wireless carriers, AT&T and Verizon, without first gaining approvals from the FCC. Also under the order, SkyTerra was forced to restrict access to its terrestrial network, banning access to AT&T and Verizon in economic areas that carry more than 25% total data traffic absent approval from the FCC.

AT&T is quoted as saying that such restrictions and barriers to specific companies “would be anticompetitive, discriminatory, and the height of arbitrary and capricious.”

Related posts:

1. LightSquared and Sprint Sign 15-Year Deal
2. Sen. Grassley Continues, LightSquared and Others on Hold
3. LightSquared to Build Nationwide, Wholesale 4G Network