AT&T Fined $450,000 for Carrying Out Wireless Operations beyond License Parameters

The time does not seem to be good for AT&T.  The company has been fined for almost $450,000 by the FCC (The Federal Communications Commission). On last Friday, FCC carried out an investigation and found the cell phone service provider carrying out unauthorized operations of fixed wireless stations throughout the contiguous US and Puerto Rico in manners other than those mentioned on the stations’ licenses. AT&T had been doing so for more than four years. 

What are the Wireless Stations Used for by the Cell Phone Service Providers?

Understanding the use of wireless stations by the phone companies will help you understand the whole issue in a better way. Actually, the phone companies utilize the wireless stations for connecting phone calls as well as the television signals straightaways between the towers in specific areas where connection is not feasible using standard wire line or fiber optic cable. Mainly, cost and terrain can be held responsible for this. 

Coming Back to the Point:

According to the FCC, AT&T, the cell phone service provider has agreed to pay the fine of $450,000 in the process of resolving lengthy government investigation. In addition to it, the company has also agreed to not to repeat any such behavior, thing or the activity in future, confirms the statement released by the Federal Communication Commission’s announcing the agreement.  

As for Reasons of Fine: 

The Federal Communications Commission says that AT&T did not review the licenses timely. And the cellular phone service provider took these licenses as a part of its acquisition of CCC (The Central Communications Corporation). According to the FCC, almost 240 licenses were under question. Out of these 240 licenses, AT&T required almost 59 licenses needed filling for MMA (Major Modifications Applications) whereas 190 licenses needed minor modification applications, confirmed the Federal Communications Commission.

AT&T Says:

On the other hand, AT&T, the cellular service provider, also released a statement in this regard. It seems that the statement was directed towards saving company’s market reputation. According to this statement released by the AT&T, some minor discrepancies were discovered during the investigation carried out by the Federal Communications Commissions as the result of review of the licenses recently acquired. Company’s cellular phone service users and other carriers have not been affected by this, said AT&T. in addition to it, the agreement to pay the fine has resolved the fine first proposed by the Federal Communications Commission in the year 2015.

Finally, the company has agreed to implement a compliance plan for reviewing all of the wireless fixed microwave stations acquired in future transactions for ensuring license compliance. Moreover, the cell phone service carrier will also file periodic progress reports directed towards displaying AT*T’s compliance efforts as well as correct any kind of noncompliance found or noticed during the review process within the timeframe of 60 days of discovery. Now it will be very interesting to whether the company lives up to its promise to save its market reputation and takes all of the steps suggested by the FCC or not.