Biden's Intervention on C Band Means Fight Is Over: New Street

President Joe Biden’s “intervention” on the C band (see 2201040070) “signals that the several month-old dispute about potential interference with air travel from 5G services … is over, with the carriers now in a position to start services on January 19,” New Street’s Blair Levin told investors Thursday. Investors were concerned a long delay would harm Verizon and AT&T as they compete with T-Mobile, he said: “In settling the matter, the carriers might have had to alter their service (such as with power levels in a broad geography) or pay a cost (such as paying for new equipment for airlines) that would have affected the companies’ financial results. The carriers’ concessions do neither and we don’t think will have any short-term or long-term impact on those results.” Biden’s involvement may also strengthen the FCC’s hand in resolving future spectrum disputes, Levin said. It also alerted “important decision makers, particularly in the White House, to the risk of inter-agency spectrum disputes hurting American economic interests,” he said.