Latest news with #BrendanCarr
Phone Arena
11 hours ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
EchoStar pays $500M to stay out of bankruptcy and to buy time for FCC talks
An 8-K filing made by EchoStar indicates that the parent company of the nation's fourth largest wireless carrier, Boost Mobile, and Dish Network, plans on making a debt-interest payment on Friday of more than $500 million. The payment is actually due on Monday and by paying the $500 million, EchoStar gets to delay filing for bankruptcy although it will not make a second payment due July 1st. EchoStar hopes that by making one of the two payments due in the coming week, it has bought itself some time to negotiate with the FCC. The regulatory agency's Chairman, Brendan Carr, has previously threatened to take away some of EchoStar's spectrum licenses. The second interest payment due July 1st, which EchoStar won't pay, comes to $114 million and by refusing to make the payment, a 30-day grace period is triggered. While EchoStar has enough cash on hand to make both interest payments on time, the company is holding off on one of them in order to gain some leverage in negotiations with the FCC. Carr wants EchoStar to give up licenses on spectrum that he says the company isn't using. The FCC Chairman said, "It's my view that right now, we are really working hard to make sure this valuable public resource of spectrum is put to use. No new news to break, but I think the status quo needs to change. There's lots of different paths forward there and all options are still on the table at the FCC." -FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Former FCC chief of staff Blair Levin, who now works as a policy analyst at New Street Research, says that Carr wants to "force a reallocation of spectrum from EchoStar to others." What Levin is talking about is the 2 GHz spectrum licensed by EchoStar which FCC Chairman Carr asked EchoStar about in a letter. Carr wants to know exactly how often EchoStar is using the 2 GHz band. The reason why Carr is so interested in EchoStar's 2 GHz usage is because Elon Musk's SpaceX has its eyes on the 2 GHz spectrum because it is superior for satellite to cellphone communications than the airwaves that SpaceX uses now. The FCC chairman had no comment about a meeting he supposedly attended at the White House earlier this month with President Donald Trump and EchoStar Chairman Charlie Ergen. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FCC chief had no discussions with White House on Trump Mobile phone
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday he had no discussions with the White House about the Trump Organization's self-branded mobile service and a $499 smartphone dubbed Trump Mobile. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who was designated chair by President Donald Trump in January, told reporters he had learned about the project through a public press release and had no conversations with anyone outside the agency about it. "We're going to run our normal process if there's anything that needs to be done by the FCC on that," Carr said. "I think competition is a good thing - so think it's great we get more sort of entry, more competition." Trump Mobile is powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless, a Florida-based company founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Matthew Lopatin. The company operates as a mobile virtual network operator, renting bandwidth from major carriers such as T-Mobile to offer its own service under a different name. Separately, Carr said the commission is continuing to review CBS-parent Paramount Global's proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The FCC did not make a decision by the 180-day informal deadline in mid-May. "We continue to run our normal course review on that one," Carr said. Trump has sued CBS, alleging the network deceptively edited a "60 Minutes" interview with 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party" and the former vice president in the election. Trump's suit is seeking $20 billion. In January, Carr reinstated complaints about the "60 Minutes" Harris interview, as well as complaints about how Walt Disney's ABC News moderated the pre-election televised debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump and Comcast's NBC for allowing Harris to appear on "Saturday Night Live" shortly before the election. CBS has urged Carr to dismiss the complaint, saying it did nothing wrong and that the complaint aims to turn "the FCC into a full-time censor of content."
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
FCC chief had no discussions with White House on Trump Mobile phone
WASHINGTON, June 26 (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday he had no discussions with the White House about the Trump Organization's self-branded mobile service and a $499 smartphone dubbed Trump Mobile. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who was designated chair by President Donald Trump in January, told reporters he had learned about the project through a public press release and had no conversations with anyone outside the agency about it. "We're going to run our normal process if there's anything that needs to be done by the FCC on that," Carr said. "I think competition is a good thing - so think it's great we get more sort of entry, more competition." Trump Mobile is powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless, a Florida-based company founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Matthew Lopatin. The company operates as a mobile virtual network operator, renting bandwidth from major carriers such as T-Mobile (TMUS.O), opens new tab to offer its own service under a different name. Separately, Carr said the commission is continuing to review CBS-parent Paramount Global's (PARA.O), opens new tab proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The FCC did not make a decision by the 180-day informal deadline in mid-May. "We continue to run our normal course review on that one," Carr said. Trump has sued CBS, alleging the network deceptively edited a "60 Minutes" interview with 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party" and the former vice president in the election. Trump's suit is seeking $20 billion. In January, Carr reinstated complaints about the "60 Minutes" Harris interview, as well as complaints about how Walt Disney's (DIS.N), opens new tab ABC News moderated the pre-election televised debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump and Comcast's (CMCSA.O), opens new tab NBC for allowing Harris to appear on "Saturday Night Live" shortly before the election. CBS has urged Carr to dismiss the complaint, saying it did nothing wrong and that the complaint aims to turn "the FCC into a full-time censor of content."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FCC chief had no discussions with White House on Trump Mobile phone
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday he had no discussions with the White House about the Trump Organization's self-branded mobile service and a $499 smartphone dubbed Trump Mobile. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who was designated chair by President Donald Trump in January, told reporters he had learned about the project through a public press release and had no conversations with anyone outside the agency about it. "We're going to run our normal process if there's anything that needs to be done by the FCC on that," Carr said. "I think competition is a good thing - so think it's great we get more sort of entry, more competition." Trump Mobile is powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless, a Florida-based company founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Matthew Lopatin. The company operates as a mobile virtual network operator, renting bandwidth from major carriers such as T-Mobile to offer its own service under a different name. Separately, Carr said the commission is continuing to review CBS-parent Paramount Global's proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The FCC did not make a decision by the 180-day informal deadline in mid-May. "We continue to run our normal course review on that one," Carr said. Trump has sued CBS, alleging the network deceptively edited a "60 Minutes" interview with 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party" and the former vice president in the election. Trump's suit is seeking $20 billion. In January, Carr reinstated complaints about the "60 Minutes" Harris interview, as well as complaints about how Walt Disney's ABC News moderated the pre-election televised debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump and Comcast's NBC for allowing Harris to appear on "Saturday Night Live" shortly before the election. CBS has urged Carr to dismiss the complaint, saying it did nothing wrong and that the complaint aims to turn "the FCC into a full-time censor of content."
CNA
2 days ago
- Business
- CNA
FCC chief had no discussions with White House on Trump Mobile phone
WASHINGTON :The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday he had no discussions with the White House about the Trump Organization's self-branded mobile service and a $499 smartphone dubbed Trump Mobile. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who was designated chair by President Donald Trump in January, told reporters he had learned about the project through a public press release and had no conversations with anyone outside the agency about it. "We're going to run our normal process if there's anything that needs to be done by the FCC on that," Carr said. "I think competition is a good thing - so think it's great we get more sort of entry, more competition." Trump Mobile is powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless, a Florida-based company founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Matthew Lopatin. The company operates as a mobile virtual network operator, renting bandwidth from major carriers such as T-Mobile to offer its own service under a different name. Separately, Carr said the commission is continuing to review CBS-parent Paramount Global's proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The FCC did not make a decision by the 180-day informal deadline in mid-May. "We continue to run our normal course review on that one," Carr said. Trump has sued CBS, alleging the network deceptively edited a "60 Minutes" interview with 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party" and the former vice president in the election. Trump's suit is seeking $20 billion. In January, Carr reinstated complaints about the "60 Minutes" Harris interview, as well as complaints about how Walt Disney's ABC News moderated the pre-election televised debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump and Comcast's NBC for allowing Harris to appear on "Saturday Night Live" shortly before the election. CBS has urged Carr to dismiss the complaint, saying it did nothing wrong and that the complaint aims to turn "the FCC into a full-time censor of content."
