The sale of Dish Network and Sling to DirecTV, as well as the spectrum-backed debt deals that accompany that transaction (see 2409300009), will give EchoStar several years to scale its wireless business, but that scaling up won't be easy, Lightshed Management's Walter Piecyk noted Wednesday. Along with the $10 billion EchoStar is raising against its AWS-3 and AWS-4 spectrum, its 3.5 GHz holdings could unlock another $2.75 billion in borrowing, he said. The DirecTV and spectrum deals provide EchoStar money for existing leases while the FCC approval of longer milestones for its 5G network buildout (see 2409200049) focuses on areas where EchoStar would use co-locations instead of new tower builds, he said. It also provides funding for the AT&T and T-Mobile mobile virtual network operator agreements, he said. A stronger balance sheet puts EchoStar in a better position to invest in customer acquisition for its Boost wireless business, "though this remains an uphill battle due to the industry’s low churn rates."

Working with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FCC and the Department of Education released a resource guide for helping schools and libraries “evaluate their cybersecurity risks and identify the most impactful cybersecurity solutions.” Issued Wednesday, the guide is intended to help potential applicants for the FCC’s new three-year, $200 million cybersecurity pilot program for schools and libraries, the FCC said. Commissioners approved the pilot program 3-2 in June. Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington dissented (see 2406060043). “Given the budget and resource constraints facing schools and libraries, the resource guide highlights free and low-cost options and focuses on the most impactful initial steps,” the FCC said: “The guide also recognizes that specific cybersecurity needs may vary and provides a framework for schools and libraries to identify solutions that meet their unique needs.”

The FCC Enforcement Bureau released on Monday data on traceback records requested from the Traceback Consortium on artificial or prerecorded voice calls where the consortium “identified an originating, gateway, or non-responsive provider.” The data covers April 1 to June 30 and lists hundreds of incidents. It doesn’t include records “where (1) the legality of the relevant call was disputed by the provider and resolved by the Traceback Consortium in favor of the provider; (2) the traceback was initiated in error; (3) the terminating provider could not identify the relevant call; or (4) the Traceback Consortium determined the call was untraceable,” the EB said.

Former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza asked the U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois to toss bribery and racketeering charges against him after a trial ended in a hung jury (see 2409200025). La Schiazza was accused two years ago of authorizing monthly payments totaling $22,500 to a close ally of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D). Madigan then pushed through legislation backed by La Schiazza making it easier for AT&T to terminate its costly carrier of last resort obligation to continue providing landline services to Illinois residents, according to an indictment. “The government called only two witnesses with personal knowledge of the events on which the charges are based,” said the latest court pleading: “One of those witnesses, Stephen Selcke, testified that there was no bribe. … Simply put, this was a case the government attempted to prove by speculation and argument rather than evidence.” The case is before Judge Robert Gettleman.

Gogo expects a planned cash and stock purchase of Satcom Direct will close by year's end, it said Monday. Gogo said the addition of Satcom Direct would let it operate in business aviation and military/government mobility markets. In addition, Gogo said it was paying $375 million in cash and five million shares of Gogo stock at closing, with the deal also providing for another $225 million in payments tied to reaching certain performance thresholds over the next four years. Gogo Chairman/CEO Oakleigh Thorne said New Gogo would offer integrated geostationary orbit/low earth orbit services.

The FCC Wireline Bureau on Monday gave carriers that already received six-month extensions on deadlines to remove Huawei and ZTE components from their networks additional time to comply with the rip-and-replace program. Southern Ohio Communications Services (SOCS), which recently asked for a third six-month extension, had its deadline extended from Oct. 6 to April 6. “The Bureau finds SOCS’s showing persuasive and that its situation is consistent with the situation of other recipients that have been granted extensions on similar grounds of supply chain issues, and accordingly grants the requested extension,” said a Monday order in docket 18-89. The bureau also approved a third extension for James Valley Co-op, to April 8, and for Stealth Communications, to March 29. Panhandle Telecommunication Systems got a second extension to April 18, and WorldCell Solutions a second extension, of three and a half months, to Jan. 15. Congress has considered, but not yet approved, $3.08 billion to fully fund the FCC's Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2409170066). “The lack of full funding will not necessarily be a sufficient showing for multiple extension requests, as recipients should continually make progress toward completing their projects by the end of their removal, replacement, and disposal term,” the order said.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should review the FCC's August order on incarcerated people's communication services because parts of the order are in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, Securus said in a petition filed Wednesday (docket 24-60492). Securus previously filed suit in the same court over the FCC's denial of its clarification and waiver petitions on alternative payment plans (see 2409050034). The new challenge follows publication of the new rules in the Federal Register (see 2409200019).

The next meeting of the FCC’s North American Numbering Council, previously scheduled for Dec. 12, will now take place the following day, the agency said Friday. The meeting is virtual and will start at 10 a.m. EST, the FCC said.

The FCC’s latest next-generation 911 order, approved 5-0 by commissioners in July (see 2407180037), is effective Nov. 25, said a Tuesday notice in the Federal Register. The order is intended to “facilitate the NG911 transition,” the notice said.

OMB approved for three years information collection associated with an FCC order modifying the agency's rural healthcare program rules, the FCC said in a notice for Tuesday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the associated order in December that gives certain healthcare providers the ability to request funding prior to their conditional approval and simplify urban rate calculations (see 2312130019).