On February 23, 2024, the FCC released a Public Notice announcing that Liberty Latin America Ltd. (“Liberty”) and DISH Network Corporation (“DISH”) had filed Assignment Applications seeking to assign certain licenses from DISH to Liberty in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands in the following bands: 600 MHz, Lower 700 MHz, Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-3, AWS-4, AWS H Block), Citizens Broadband Radio Service (“CBRS”), and millimeter wave (“mmW”) upper microwave flexible use licenses in the 37 and 47 GHz bands. In addition, the applications seek to assign approximately 120,000 subscribers from DISH’s Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile to Liberty. Liberty has also filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling to permit foreign ownership above the 25% benchmarks established in section 310(b)(4) of the Act and section 1.5001(a)(1) of the Commission’s rules.
The preliminary review of the proposed transaction indicates that, as a result of the proposed transaction, Liberty would hold a maximum of 278 MHz of spectrum, including up to 83 MHz of below-1-GHz spectrum across Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and a maximum of 1,700 Hz of mmW spectrum. DISH also requests that the Commission grant a waiver of the conditions imposed in the T-Mobile/Sprint-DISH Order to allow DISH to sell its AWS-4 and 600 MHz licenses in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The FCC has established GN Docket No. 24-55 for pleadings and/or comments on the applications.
Comments/Petitions are due on or before March 11, 2024.
Responses to Comments/Oppositions to Petitions are due on or before March 21, 2024.
Replies to Responses/Oppositions are due on or before March 26, 2024.
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