FCC angers small carriers by helping AT&T and Starlink buy EchoStar spectrum

The FCC approved a $3.2 billion spectrum sale that consolidates EchoStar's licenses with AT&T and Starlink, angering small carriers who argue it deepens market concentration. Unlike #9's neutral merger review, this decision explicitly favored incumbents: AT&T gains 40 MHz in the 600 GHz band, while Starlink secures 15 MHz for satellite backhaul. Data point: The sale reduces competitive carriers' aggregate spectral holdings by 23%, and the FCC's own 2025 report found that small carriers serve 18 million rural subscribers who may now face higher costs. Critics warn this alignment could raise consumer prices by 12% within two years, eclipsing the 5% impact of a similar AT&T merger in 2023.