For Now: Providers Set Aside Disputes During Coronavirus Outbreak

摘要

As they face the common enemy that is the coronavirus pandemic, Cox Media Group and DISH have agreed to set aside their retrans dispute for now so that DISH can resume its carriage of 10 CMG stations in markets in New York, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Louisiana, California, Mississippi and Idaho. No word on how long the stations, which have been blacked out since mid-January, will be carried by DISH. “We appreciate DISH’s cooperation in agreeing to suspend our dispute so that we can help our viewers navigate through this uncertain time,” Cox Media Group CEO Kim Guthrie said in a statement. DISH has also agreed to temporarily restore channels owned by Mission Broadcasting, Marshall Broadcasting Group and White Knight Broadcasting through April 13. “DISH is committed to ensuring that our customers have access to critical local news coverage regarding COVID-19 in their community,” DISH svp, programming Andy LeCuyer said in a statement. “Our customers always come first, and restoring these channels is one more step we’ve taken to help them get through this challenging time.” Folks are also banding together on the wireless side, offering those that require additional network capacity access to any extra spectrum they don’t need. The FCC granted T-Mobile special temporary authority to use additional spectrum in the 600MHz band to help bolster its networks. The Commission said T-Mobile plans to use the spectrum to support telehealth initiatives, distance learning, telework and the needs of first responders. T-Mobile will use spectrum that was held either in the FCC’s inventory or by other licensees that have consented to T-Mobile’s use of the spectrum. Those licensees include DISH, Comcast, NewLevel, LB License Co, Channel 51, Omega, Bluewater and TStar License Holdings. T-Mobile will also have access to Sprint’s spectrum portfolio when the pair’s merger closes next month as expected, but New Street Research suggested in a note that T-Mobile may try to get early access to that as well. New Street also said this could prove to be an important business move for T-Mobile as it looks to permanently bolster its network. “It will be interesting to see what T-Mobile does with the borrowed 600MHz after sixty days; they are using it for free now; presumably they would have to pay for it after the first sixty days; but it could make sense for both sides if they do (could be an important win for DISH),” New Street said in a note.