The US auction of 100 megahertz of spectrum in the 600 MHz band has abruptly ended, with the FCC saying the auction had failed to meet the required conditions. Unsaid was the lack of enthusiasm from bidders. Observers had said that their willingness to stump up ever-higher amounts had waned. There had been 27 individual […]
August 24th saw Round 15 of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) wireless spectrum auction, and typically add $650 million (€575.8bn) per round as bidders upped their bids during the day to reach a total of $16.3 billion. The FCC is now holding 3 bidding rounds per day and each saw a typical $400-$500 million added […]
Charlie Ergen’s DISH Network has raised a net $2.73 billion (€2.46bn) in new Convertible Notes, with a 3.375 per cent rate due for repayment in 2026. Dish says the funds will be used for general purposes and “which may include wireless and spectrum-related strategic transactions”. The exercise had already been announced on August 2nd, but […]
The European Commission has found that a Spanish scheme compensating terrestrial private broadcasters for carrying out parallel broadcasting during the digitisation of the terrestrial television signal is in breach of EU state aid rules. As no aid has been granted yet, no recovery will be required. “This measure provided a selective advantage to terrestrial broadcasters […]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ruled that four terrestrial frequency bands above 24 GHz can be used for new 5G services. It sets the stage for 5G’s expansion in the US. However, the frequencies – which total some 11 GHz of spectrum – include bands which are also used by satellite operators who have […]
Echostar and Dish TV founder Charlie Ergen briefed some 80 media and telecoms analysts at a meeting in Denver and left them of the opinion that once this current FCC spectrum auction wraps up Ergen is likely to begin substantive discussions about monetising his huge investment in wireless bandwidth. According to Wells Fargo Bank media […]
The EU Council has adopted a general approach on a draft decision aimed at boosting broadband services. The 700 MHz band, which offers high speeds and extensive coverage, would be made available for wireless broadband in Europe by 2020. Broadcasting services would keep priority in the sub-700 MHz band at least until 2030. Henk Kamp, […]
Italy has proposed a postponement of the deadline by when spectrum in the 700 MHz band will be made available for high speed mobile Internet services to 2022. The decision was reached after a vote in both houses of the Italian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and is supported by the Italian […]
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence estimates, a group of 12 US companies could generate almost $7 billion in an 84 MHz clearing scenario, or up to $13 billion in a lofty 120 MHz scenario — if the execution of the auction aligns with the FCC’s vision. The 12 companies are CBS, Comcast, Univision, 20th […]
In November 2014, UK comms regulator Ofcom decided that the 700 MHz spectrum band – which currently houses digital terrestrial television (DTT) and wireless microphones used for programme making and special events (PMSE) – would be repurposed for mobile data services. Ofcom intends to avoid undue disruption to DTT viewers and to safeguard the benefits […]