The quarter closed with two cliffhangers resolving in the same week. On June 30 EchoStar made more than 500 million dollars in overdue interest payments, stepping back from the bankruptcy ledge as its political pressure campaign visibly bore fruit and settlement talks with the FCC gained traction. Then on July 3 Congress sent the One Big Beautiful Bill to the President, restoring the FCC's spectrum auction authority after a 28-month lapse and mandating an 800 megahertz pipeline, the largest legislated spectrum commitment in American history, signed into law July 4. AT&T added a consumer protection note to the week, rolling out its Wireless Account Lock feature on July 1 to combat the SIM-swapping attacks that have plagued the industry.
The MVNO model got its most famous customer yet this week. On June 16 the Trump Organization unveiled Trump Mobile, a branded wireless service riding the big three networks as an MVNO, complete with a 47.45 dollar monthly plan and a promised gold-colored phone, instantly making brand-driven wireless a national conversation. The same day, Charlie Ergen finally got his meeting with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, where EchoStar reiterated that undermining its licenses would be illegal and pressed for a resolution to the review that has frozen its finances. And on Capitol Hill, the Senate Commerce Committee rallied support for an 800 megahertz spectrum pipeline in the budget reconciliation bill, setting up July's restoration of FCC auction authority.