FCC

Telecom service providers overcame a major network cost on Wednesday as the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the FCC's 2011 order that regulates how much utility companies can charge telcos to attach wires to their poles.

Innovations in technology have meant leaving behind cherished LPs and cassette tapes for CDs and digital music, and throwing out analog televisions and rabbit ear antennae for digital TV and broadband-delivered video-on-demand. Things change, and phone service is no different.

The FCC on Wednesday approved new rules for cell phone boosters, giving booster makers a major win after years of acrimonious debate over the issue. The FCC also managed to get the nation's wireless carriers to agree to the new rules. However, the 2 million wireless customers with existing boosters who have been using the devices to improve their mobile signals will need to register with and get permission from their carriers to continue to use the gadgets.

Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen said the company would consider a partnership with Sprint Nextel, which Dish is challenging with a rival bid for Clearwire. 

Recent regulatory battles highlight the downside of hurried spectrum refarming, meaning the rush to enable cutting-edge wireless broadband services can cause interference issues if done shortsightedly, negatively impacting not only existing services but sometimes even the new ones.

The FCC's move to release more 5 GHz frequencies for gigabit Wi-Fi use reflects efforts to develop and employ spectrum-sharing techniques to open up encumbered frequencies. It also highlights the ongoing battle between parties advocating for licensed vs. unlicensed spectrum allocations.