“If SpaceX had carried out a fundamental search of public filings, it might know that EchoStar extensively makes use of the two GHz band and that the Fee itself has confirmed the protection, utilization, and methodology for assessing the standard of EchoStar’s 5G community based mostly on unbiased drive-tests,” EchoStar instructed the FCC. “EchoStar’s deployment already reaches over 80 p.c of the US inhabitants with over 23,000 5G websites deployed.”
There may be additionally a pending petition filed by Vermont-based VTel Wi-fi, which requested the FCC to rethink a 2024 choice to increase EchoStar building deadlines for a number of spectrum bands. VTel was outbid by Dish in auctions for licenses to make use of AWS H Block and AWS-3 bands.
“On this case, teetering on the verge of chapter, EchoStar discovered itself unable to satisfy the commitments beforehand made to the Fee in reference to its approval of T-Cell’s merger with Dash—an approval predicated on EchoStar establishing a fourth nationwide 5G broadband community by June 14, 2025,” VTel wrote in its October 2024 petition. “However with no discover to or enter from the general public, WTB [the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau] apparently lower a take care of EchoStar to provide it but extra time to finish that community and eventually put its wi-fi licenses to make use of.”
FCC seeks public enter
Carr’s letter stated he requested FCC workers to analyze EchoStar’s compliance with building deadlines and “to situation a public discover searching for touch upon the scope and scale of MSS [mobile satellite service] utilization within the 2 GHz band that’s at present licensed to EchoStar or its associates.” The AWS-4 band (2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz) was initially designated for satellite tv for pc service. The FCC determined to additionally enable terrestrial use of the frequencies in 2012 to develop cellular broadband entry.
The FCC House Bureau introduced yesterday that it’s searching for touch upon EchoStar’s use of the 2GHz spectrum, and the Wi-fi Telecommunications Bureau is searching for touch upon VTel’s petition for reconsideration.
“In 2019, EchoStar’s predecessor, Dish, agreed to satisfy particular buildout obligations in reference to numerous spectrum licenses throughout a number of completely different bands,” Carr wrote. “Particularly, the FCC agreed to chill out a few of EchoStar’s then-existing buildout obligations in trade for EchoStar’s dedication to place its licensed spectrum to work deploying a nationwide 5G broadband community. EchoStar promised—amongst different issues—that its community would cowl, by June 14, 2025, at the very least 70 p.c of the inhabitants inside every of its licensed geographic areas for its AWS-4 and 700 MHz licenses, and at the very least 75 p.c of the inhabitants inside every of its licensed geographic areas for its H Block and 600 MHz licenses.”
