RWA, TURN, Others Protest T-Mobile's Planned CDMA Shutdown

Public interest groups and the Rural Wireless Association asked the FCC Monday to look to Communications Act authority to prevent T-Mobile from closing its CDMA network by year-end (see 2104140036). Dish Network says closure would harm its Boost customers that Dish acquired as part of T-Mobile buying Sprint. “Exercise its general authority under Section 201(b)3 and its general authority under Title II, Title III and other relevant provisions to protect Boost and rural carrier subscribers from disruption,” the letter asked. “Sunset of aging 2G/3G networks, like the Analog Sunset and other industry-wide transitions before it, has the potential to bring enormous benefits to the public. Also like the transitions before it, it will require the FCC to ensure that the transition does not result in unintended consumer harms.” Public Knowledge, the Open Technology Institute at New America, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, the Center for Rural Strategies, X-Labs, the Greenlining Institute and TURN-The Utility Reform Network signed. “This transition is absolutely in the best interest of the public, especially those consumers who are stuck using an antiquated network,” a T-Mobile spokesperson said: “There are no barriers preventing DISH from taking great care of their Boost customers during the CDMA sunset, just as we are doing with our Sprint customers.”