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FCC REACHES$450,000SETTLEMENT WITHAT&TFORUNAUTHORIZEDWIRELESSOPERATIONS
AT&T AdmitsIt Operated Wireless StationsDifferently Than Its License Parameters
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WASHINGTON,September23,2016–TheFCC’sEnforcementBureauhasreacheda
$450,000settlementwithAT&TtoresolveaninvestigationintowhetherAT&Toperatedfixedwirelessstationswithoutauthorizationorwithoutfilingrequiredlicensemodificationnotices.TheinvestigationrevealedthatAT&Toperatednumerouscommoncarrierfixedpoint-to-pointmicrowavestationsthroughouttheUnitedStatesinwaysthatdifferedfromthestations’licensesforperiodsrangingfromthreeandahalfyearstooverfouryears.
“WeexpecteverypersonorcompanythatreceivesalicensefromtheCommissionwilloperatewithintheparametersofthatauthorization,”saidTravisLeBlanc,ChiefoftheFCC’sEnforcementBureau.“Anylicenseewhooperatesoutsidethoseparametersthreatenstheintegrityofcommunicationsnetworks,increasestheriskofharmfulinterference,andbreaksthelaw.”
TheEnforcementBureaubeganitsinvestigationofAT&Tin2012.InAugust2014,duringthecourseoftheinvestigation,AT&TreportedtotheCommissionthatithaddiscoverednumerousinconsistenciesbetweenthelicensedparametersandtheconstructedfacilitiesofalargenumberoffixedmicrowavelicensesthatitacquiredfrom2009through2012.AT&Tdidnottimelyreviewtheacquiredlicenses,whichresultedintheunauthorizedoperationofmanyofthestationsbyitssubsidiariesNewCingularWirelessPCS,LLCandAT&TMobilityPuertoRico,Inc.Asaresult,theEnforcementBureauinvestigatedthelicensinghistoryofapproximately250AT&Tstationstodeterminetheextentoftheunauthorizedoperations.InJanuary 2015,theCommissionadoptedaNoticeofApparentlyLiabilityforForfeituretoAT&Tallegingviolationsthatthecompanyadmittedtointoday’ssettlement.
Aspartoftoday’ssettlementagreement,AT&Thasagreedtoimplementacomplianceplanthroughwhichitwillconducttimelyreviewsofwirelessfixedmicrowavestationsacquiredinfuturetransactionstoensurethatthestationsareoperatinginaccordancewiththeirlicensedparameters,fileperiodicprogressreportsonitscomplianceefforts,andcorrectanynoncompliancediscoveredduringthereviewprocesswithin60daysofitsdiscovery.
Wirelessstationslikethoseatissueherearegenerallywirelessconnectionsusedbyphonecompaniestoconnectdirectlybetweentowers.Suchcommoncarriermicrowavestationsare
generallyusedtosupportlong-haulbackboneconnectionsortoconnectpointsonthetelephonenetworkthatcannotbeconnectedusingstandardwirelineorfiberopticcablebecause ofcostorterrain.Thesesystemsarealsousedtoconnectcellularsitestothetelephonenetwork,andtorelaytelevisionsignals.
TheConsentDecreeisavailableat:
TheNoticeofApparentLiabilityforForfeitureisavailableat:
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Thisis an unofficialannouncement of Commissionaction.Release of thefull textof a Commission orderconstitutes officialaction. SeeMCI v. FCC, 515F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir.1974).