T-Mobile and MetroPCS Ask FCC to Clamp Down On Dish

In separate filings, both T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS have asked the Federal Communications Commission to force Dish Networks to give up 50% of its spectrum in order to gain approval for its proposed LTE broadband network. Dish has 40MHz of S-Band spectrum in the 2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz bands. Dish wants to repurpose this spectrum for a terrestrial LTE-Advanced network. T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS contend that Dish should agree to give up 20MHz of the 40MHz block in order to avoid a "windfall" should the company eventually sell to AT&T or Verizon Wireless. They believe that the spectrum could be auctioned off to non-dominant players and still allow Dish to recoup the cost of purchasing the spectrum. The Rural Carrier Association added its own comments, suggesting that if the FCC grants the waiver for which Dish is requesting, it should be required to offer competitive roaming rates to smaller operators. The RCA also wants to prevent Dish from inking roaming agreements with AT&T and Verizon Wireless without FCC approval. Dish's proposal is similar to that of bankrupt LightSquared, but Dish's spectrum doesn't abut GPS signals.

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