FCC Federal Communications Commission : Proposes $640K Fine Against AT&T for Unauthorized Operations

NEWS

Federal Communications Commission

News Media Information 202 / 418-0500

Washington, D.C. 20554

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.

See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT :

January 29, 2015

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FCC PLANS $640,000 FINE AGAINST AT&T FOR UNAUTHORIZED WIRELESS

OPERATIONS

AT&T Allegedly Operated Numerous Wireless Stations

at Variance from Licensed Parameters

Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission intends to fine AT&T Inc. $640,000 for

allegedly operating numerous wireless stations throughout the United States without authorization over a

multiyear period and failing to provide required license modification notices to the Commission.

According to the Commission, AT&T apparently operated numerous common carrier fixed point-to-point

microwave stations at variance from the stations' authorizations for periods as long as five years. The

Commission takes this enforcement action as part of its duty to prevent unauthorized radio operations

from interfering with authorized radio communications and to facilitate the efficient administration of the

radio spectrum for the benefit of all Americans.

"Our society's dependence upon wireless communications necessitates that the companies entrusted with

authority to transmit those communications operate within licensed parameters," said Travis LeBlanc,

Chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. "A licensee's failure to ensure that its facilities operate as

authorized threatens the integrity of our network and greatly increases the risk of harmful interference,

especially when, as in this case, numerous unauthorized operations continued for years without

resolution."

During its investigation, the Enforcement Bureau examined the licensing history of approximately 250

AT&T stations and determined that AT&T engaged in unauthorized operations at 26 of its stations and

failed to notify the Commission regarding minor modifications of an additional eight stations within the

past year. Today, the Commission finds that AT&T apparently failed to conduct timely technical reviews

of newly acquired licenses to ensure they operated as authorized and that in some instances, even after

becoming aware of the Bureau's investigation, AT&T continues to operate the same stations at variance

from their licensed parameters. According to the Commission, five major modification applications and

two minor modification applications have yet to be filed. The Commission's anticipated fine accounts for

the overall scope of the apparent violations, both in terms of the number and duration of the violations. In

addition, the forfeiture accounts for AT&T's sophistication with handling licensing issues and the

company's size as one of the largest telecommunications service providers in the country.

In 2013, AT&T entered into a $600,000 Consent Decree with the Enforcement Bureau to settle an

investigation of unauthorized operations based on the company's failure to file major and minor

modification applications regarding its cellular service areas.

Common carrier microwave stations are generally used in a point-to-point configuration for long-haul

backbone connections or to connect points on the telephone network which cannot be connected using