Nokia on Tuesday signed a multiyear agreement with AT&T to deploy next-generation fiber technology, said a Tuesday release. Under the agreement, Nokia will provide its Lightspan and Altiplano platforms to support AT&T’s fiber network. “The five-year deal will include fiber network upgrades to AT&T's current footprint and next-generation fiber technologies for future network expansions and is Build America, Buy America-compliant,” Nokia said. The agreement “sets the stage for the next wave of digital innovation, including Industry 4.0, smart cities, IoT applications and ultra-high-definition streaming,” said Chris Sambar, AT&T head of network.

The telecom industry heads into fall with numerous tailwinds, from the first states starting their broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program application processes to expected interest rate cuts, consultant Terry Chevalier blogged Thursday on LinkedIn. But industry activity could face election-related headwinds, he said. For example, he doesn't expect much progress in crafting next fiscal year's budget in the coming months due to this fiscal year ending with a lame-duck presidency and Congress. Similarly, he anticipates a slowdown in new executive branch agency activities and initiatives until the next administration is in place. However, he said the latest round of Agriculture's ReConnect awards is still likely to be announced by year's end, as well as NTIA's second-round Innovation Award funds. But don't expect activity on the Affordable Connectivity Program or FCC spectrum auction authority in the near future, he said.

The FCC Wireline Bureau dismissed on procedural grounds and rejected Starlink's waiver request regarding its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund application in an order Friday in docket 19-126 (see 2402270083). The bureau said Starlink "did not demonstrate that it was eligible to receive RDOF support" and its petition "does not provide any new information or evidence of changed circumstances that rebut our previous determinations." The bureau also said the petition was "untimely" because requests for reconsideration must be filed within 30 days of a rule being published in the Federal Register. The bureau noted Starlink's petition was filed four years after the final RDOF rules were published.

The proposed factor for the North American Numbering Plan Administration Fund size for FY25 will be $8.64 million with a contribution factor of 0.0000896, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Wednesday in docket 92-237 (see 2308100068). The proposed decrease in the contribution factor is due to the "higher surplus carried over from the prior year," the bureau said.

Verizon is teaming with Skylo on direct-to-device service using mobile satellite spectrum, the carrier said Wednesday. The Skylo arrangement comes atop Verizon's D2D partnership with AST SpaceMobile (see 2405290003). Verizon is "hedg[ing] its bets," satellite and spectrum consultant Tim Farrar posted on X. Verizon said that certain smartphones would have emergency messaging and location sharing capabilities outside terrestrial network coverage starting this fall. It said texting would be available on select devices starting in 2025.

NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson praised Vecima Wednesday following the company's announcement that its first American-made broadband electronics are available for networks built with broadband, equity, access and deployment program funding (see 2407300025). "In support of our major infrastructure investments, companies like Vecima and MARA Technologies have answered the call to build the network equipment needed to connect everyone in America to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service," Davidson said. "The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to delivering Internet for All with materials, like the network electronics rolling off the line today, manufactured by workers in America." Vecima announced in February that it was partnering with MARA Technologies to manufacture fiber-to-the-premises optical line terminals at its Michigan facility.

The FCC is seeking nominations by Oct. 28 in docket 96-45 for eight board member positions on the Universal Service Administrative Co.'s board of directors. The Wireline Bureau, in a public notice Monday, sought nominations for a representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenue of more than $3 billion, rural health care providers eligible for USF support, state telecom regulators, incumbent local exchange carriers with more than $40 million in annual revenue, information service providers, interexchange carriers with annual operating revenue of $3 billion or less, and two representatives for schools eligible for USF support.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the FCC's unopposed motion to stay its ruling in favor of Consumers' Research's USF contributions challenge pending the commission's petition for a writ of certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court in an order Monday (docket 22-60008). The stay will expire Oct. 1, the order said. The FCC said in its motion that the Solicitor General "recently authorized the filing of a petition," adding that the decision "threatens to disrupt the operation of a multi-billion-dollar subsidy program."

Telemarketers calling U.S. consumers will pay higher fees to access the national Do Not Call registry in FY 2025, the FTC announced Tuesday. The cost of accessing a single area code will increase from $78 to $80. The maximum charge for accessing all area codes nationwide will increase from $21,402 to $22,038. Access to an additional area code for a half year will increase from $39 to $40.

CTIA, USTelecom and the Competitive Carriers Association jointly asked that the FCC delay by three weeks the comment deadlines on a July Further NPRM on the broadband data collection process (see 2408150009). The groups asked that the initial comment deadline be delayed from Sept. 16 to Oct. 7 and the reply comment deadline moved from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5. “The FNPRM raises complex issues … that warrant a robust record from those directly impacted, including member companies of the Joint Petitioners,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 19-195. “Key subject matter experts at the member companies dedicated to BDC issues are currently preparing the next BDC filing” due on Sept. 3, the groups said: “The intervening Labor Day holiday further reduces the time available to respond to the multitude of system-specific questions asked in the FNPRM. A brief three-week extension is consistent with precedent, in the public interest, and warranted to afford the Joint Petitioners’ member companies sufficient time to develop a complete record.”