Telecommunications

  • April 01, 2024

    5G Co. Airspan Hits Ch. 11 With $205M Debt, Reorg Plan

    5G hardware and software maker Airspan Networks filed for Chapter 11 protection Monday in a Delaware bankruptcy court with plans to trade its more than $205 million in funded debt for equity and raise up to $95 million in new equity financing.

  • March 29, 2024

    DC Circ. Rejects Meta's Bid To Delay FTC Privacy Tweaks

    A D.C. Circuit panel on Friday refused Meta Platforms Inc.'s bid to delay the Federal Trade Commission from pursuing changes to a $5 billion privacy settlement, saying the social media giant failed to show why it's entitled to an emergency injunction while it's challenging the FTC's structure.

  • March 29, 2024

    Rural Carriers Worry FCC Broadband Maps 'Vastly' Inaccurate

    Rural wireless carriers are concerned Federal Communications Commission maps do not accurately depict where mobile broadband service is available, putting federal support funds at risk.

  • March 29, 2024

    NTIA Issues $811M In State Digital Equity Funding

    The Biden administration is releasing the allocation of the first $811 million of the $1.25 billion in digital equity funding it plans on providing states, territories and tribes to ensure everyone within their borders has the ability and skill to access all the internet has to offer.

  • March 29, 2024

    Vidal Tells PTAB To Better Explain Nokia Challenge Denials

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal has vacated the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's refusal to hear three patent challenges by Nokia, telling the board to more fully explain its holding that the patent office had already considered the invalidity arguments.

  • March 29, 2024

    FCC Looks To Stamp Out Call Routing Security Breaches

    The protocols that mobile telecom operators use to talk to each other leave their customers particularly vulnerable to location tracking, according to the Federal Communications Commission, which says it's time to take a closer look at the matter.

  • March 29, 2024

    AT&T Call Center Workers Lose Cert. Bid in OT Suit, For Now

    Call center workers looking to hold AT&T liable for failing to pay them overtime wages were denied collective certification, with an Illinois federal judge ruling they needed to propose a narrower group definition because there was not enough evidence to support a nationwide collective.

  • March 29, 2024

    Vidal Offers 'Peace Of Mind' For MDL Rivals Heading To PTAB

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal has set new boundaries on interpreting the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's discretionary denial precedent for follow-on petitions, making clear that defendants can work together in multidistrict litigation without giving up the right to file separate patent challenges.

  • March 29, 2024

    US Trade Report Excludes Barriers With 'Legitimate' Purposes

    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative left out foreign trade barriers that the Biden administration believes serve "legitimate public purposes" from this year's National Trade Estimate report Friday, rejecting pressure from domestic industry associations.

  • March 29, 2024

    8 States Seek $122M After Robocaller Allegedly Ignored Ban

    Attorneys general from eight states urged a federal judge to modify an existing injunction barring a businessman from engaging in robocalling or telemarketing campaigns, asserting he has violated that order, should be held in contempt and must pay $122 million.

  • March 28, 2024

    Telecom Co. Wants Rival Sanctioned In Contract Row

    Florida telecom Local Access LLC is again seeking sanctions against the Chicago-based rival it's suing over a contract dispute, claiming that Peerless Network destroyed records and refuses to turn over revenue information it's been seeking since 2017, even after a Florida federal judge directed the company to do so.

  • March 28, 2024

    FCC Lacks Legal Power To Collect Blackout Info, Stations Say

    TV network affiliates and their national lobbying arm say the Federal Communications Commission lacks legal authority to collect data on impasses between broadcasters and cable and satellite providers that lead to programming "blackouts."

  • March 28, 2024

    India Can't Dodge $132M Award To Deutsche Telekom

    India must pay Deutsche Telekom AG the $132 million an arbitrator has said the country owes the telecom after a massive satellite licensing deal went sour, a D.C. federal judge has ruled, waving away arguments that the district court can't enforce the award due to sovereign immunity.

  • March 28, 2024

    Texas Judge Lifts Discovery Stay On Google's Bidding Deals

    A Texas federal judge agreed to lift a discovery stay in the Texas-led antitrust suit challenging Google's ad technology, allowing the 16 plaintiff states and Puerto Rico access to additional information about a network bidding agreement between Google and Facebook that they claim stymied competition in the digital advertising market.

  • March 28, 2024

    Advocates Push For More Hot Spot Options If E-Rate Expands

    The Federal Communications Commission needs to consider a tech-neutral approach to funding wireless hot spots in schools to make sure that low-income and rural areas do not get left out if mobile carrier signals aren't adequate, an advocacy group said.

  • March 28, 2024

    Meta Says Speech Immunity Dooms Instagram Addiction Case

    Meta on Thursday asked a Massachusetts judge to toss a lawsuit alleging it has intentionally misled users about Instagram features purportedly designed to addict children and teens, saying it is shielded both by federal law and the First Amendment.

  • March 28, 2024

    Walmart Gives Enforcers More Time On $2.3B Vizio Deal Probe

    Walmart is giving the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission more time to complete their initial review of the retail giant's plan to boost its advertising business through the $2.3 billion purchase of smart television maker Vizio.

  • March 28, 2024

    FCC Urged To Reject T-Mobile Network 'Slicing' Proposal

    The Federal Communications Commission shouldn't heed T-Mobile's call to craft network slicing rules that would essentially allow any mobile service provider to escape the agency's net neutrality rules against paid prioritization, according to one advocacy group.

  • March 28, 2024

    Steptoe Taps McDermott's Fintech Head To Be NY Partner

    A longtime partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP who led the firm's fintech and blockchain transactions practice has joined Steptoe LLP in New York, where she will focus her practice on blockchain, crypto, derivatives and fintech.

  • March 27, 2024

    Amazon Can't Block DSA Ad Repository Requirements

    A European court reversed a ruling temporarily exempting Amazon from a set of regulations for large digital platforms, ruling Wednesday that — like Apple's App Store, Facebook and Instagram — Amazon will have to maintain a publicly available repository of advertising information, as mandated by the European Union's 2022 Digital Services Act.

  • March 27, 2024

    Roblox Needs To Face Calif. Law Claims Over Illegal Gambling

    A California federal judge on Tuesday allowed proposed class claims that the Roblox Corp. gaming company broke California unfair competition law and was negligent for luring minors to gamble to proceed, but tossed other claims brought under racketeering and New York business law.

  • March 27, 2024

    T-Mobile Can Appeal Refusal To Toss Sprint Merger Case

    An Illinois federal court granted T-Mobile's request on Wednesday to immediately appeal a ruling refusing to toss a proposed class action from AT&T and Verizon subscribers who have alleged their prices increased because of T-Mobile's 2020 merger with Sprint.

  • March 27, 2024

    PenFed Must Face W.Va. Consumer 'Pay-To-Pay' Fee Action

    Pentagon Federal Credit Union can't duck claims that it is flouting West Virginia law by charging a $5 fee to anyone seeking to make their auto loan payment over the phone after a federal judge declared that the lender and loan servicer is a debt collector.

  • March 27, 2024

    Make Sure Internet Stays Affordable, House Dems Tell NTIA

    A dozen House Democrats urged a key Biden administration official on broadband policy to ensure high-speed internet projects across the country lead to affordable service as a federal low-income subsidy draws to a close.

  • March 27, 2024

    CBD Retailer Used Spyware, Recorded Online Chats, Suit Says

    Charlotte's Web Inc., a CBD retailer, is secretly recording conversations of those who visit its website in violation of a California privacy law that is simple to follow, according to a proposed class action removed to federal court on Monday.

Expert Analysis

  • Chancery's 'Unfair Deal, Fair Price' Ruling Part Of A Trend

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    The Delaware Court of Chancery's recent decision in In re: Straight Path Communications is the latest in a line of recent post-trial rulings by the court that seem to prioritize a fair price in determining damage awards — even when a transaction has been clouded by an unfair process, say attorneys at V&E.

  • Kochava Ruling May Hint At Next Privacy Class Action Wave

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    The Southern District of California's recent ruling in Greenley v. Kochava and increasing complaints alleging that a consumer website is an illegal “pen register” due to the use of third-party marketing software tools foreshadow a new theory of liability for plaintiffs in privacy litigation, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Mexico

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    ESG has yet to become part of the DNA of the Mexican business model, but huge strides are being made in that direction, as more stakeholders demand that companies adopt, at the least, a modicum of sustainability commitments and demonstrate how they will meet them, says Carlos Escoto at Galicia Abogados.

  • The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

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    In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

  • Opinion

    A Telecom Attorney's Defense Of The Chevron Doctrine

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    The Chevron doctrine, which requires judicial deference to federal regulators, is under attack in two U.S. Supreme Court cases — and while most telecom attorneys likely agree that the Federal Communications Commission is guilty of overrelying on it, the problem is not the doctrine itself, says Carl Northrop at Telecommunications Law Professionals.

  • Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary

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    The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • What Cos. Should Know About FTC's Proposed Junk Fee Rule

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    The Federal Trade Commission recently announced a notice of proposed rulemaking targeting junk fees and how businesses may advertise prices to consumers — and since it would give the agency powers to seek monetary penalties against businesses that do not comply, companies should look to get ahead now, say Phyllis Marcus and Nicole Johnson at Hunton Andrews.

  • 9th Circ. ERISA Ruling Informs DOL's New Fiduciary Proposal

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    The Ninth Circuit's reasoning in its recent Bugielski v. AT&T decision illustrates the importance of the U.S. Department of Labor's proposals to expand the reach of Employee Retirement Income Security Act third-party compensation disclosure rules and their effect on investment adviser fiduciaries, says Jeff Mamorsky at Cohen & Buckmann.

  • AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier

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    Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Why The Effect Of Vivint Has Been Minimal

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    A survey of recent ex parte reexamination decisions since the Federal Circuit’s 2021 In re: Vivint decision appears to support the court’s conclusion that the ruling was limited in scope and would have limited impact, says Yao Wang at Fish & Richardson.

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: South Korea

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    Numerous ESG trends have materialized in South Korea in the past three years, with impacts ranging from greenwashing prevention and carbon neutrality measures to workplace harassment and board diversity initiatives, say Chang Wook Min and Hyun Chan Jung at Jipyong.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • The Scope Of Challenged Claims After Fed. Circ. Sisvel Ruling

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    Joshua Weisenfeld at Sheppard Mullin considers the Federal Circuit's recent Sisvel v. Sierra decision and its impact on claim construction and post-issuance claim amendments that broaden the scope of challenged claims.

  • Tips For Avoiding Disputes From M&A Earnout Provisions

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    Attorneys at Freshfields review key Delaware cases to outline several important considerations that may reduce the risk of an earnout dispute arising from a merger agreement and help the parties navigate disputes when they do occur.

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