Wireless
The FCC should hold off on approving the transfer of spectrum from Verizon to AT&T in an area covering the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation until litigation is resolved between the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Verizon Wireless, the tribe said in…
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a letter to the FCC. The tribe said Verizon has reneged on a 2000 agreement in which the tribe agreed to support Western Wireless’s designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier. In return, the carrier committed to “providing a specified level of service on the Reservation, would share some revenues with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and ultimately would turn over the network and spectrum” used to provide the service at Pine Ridge to the Oglala Sioux. Western Wireless subsequently was bought by Alltel, which was acquired by Verizon. “The Tribe has attempted for months to negotiate with Verizon, to no avail. Having no other option, the Tribe is now attempting to schedule a hearing in Tribal Court to resolve the issue,” the letter said. “Verizon is using every tactic it can to delay a Tribal Court hearing,” it said, and it unsuccessfully challenged a scheduled Tribal Court hearing in federal district court. The court summarily rejected Verizon’s argument, but “the tactic was successful in delaying a Tribal Court hearing,” it said.