More wireless news from across the Web:
Why inflexible budget rules are keeping lawmakers from selling billions of dollars worth of government airwaves http://t.co/YeFQV7kRPS
— FierceWireless (@FierceWireless) October 7, 2015
> AT&T thinks Dish's "selective default" on AWS-3 spectrum licenses its affiliates bid on could lead to Dish re-bidding on the airwaves, which it said "doesn't feel like a just or appropriate result." Blog post
> Former Android chief Andy Rubin said his new incubator called Playground Global has now closed a $300 million funding round and will be investing in new hardware startups. VentureBeat article. Rubin, speaking at Re/code's Code Mobile conference, said the big sea change in the U.S. industry has been the shift away from two-year contracts and subsidized smartphones, which has lessened the power of carriers. Re/code article
> Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile US and Sprint reportedly have no intention to sell either the Microsoft Lumia 950 or Lumia 950 XL. CNET article. However, T-Mobile CEO John Legere said the carrier did not turn down the chance to sell the phones, and that Microsoft struck an exclusive deal with AT&T Mobility, even though Microsoft has said it is open to working with other U.S. carriers. TMoNews article
> Strategy Analytics predicts there will be 500 million LTE-based M2M devices shipping in 2020. Release
> Samsung Electronics said that the personal payment information of users of its mobile payment system wasn't compromised despite a reported hacking incident at LoopPay, a startup it bought earlier this year. Wall Street Journal article
> Kajeet launched a special program to keep students connected to the Internet at home for those school districts affected by the Sprint WiMAX network shutdown coming next month. Release
> Apple has no desire to be a source of free streaming music, according to Jimmy Iovine, a leader of the company's subscription music service. CNET article
> Google, through its German division Google Germany, has made an investment in the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (the DFKI), a nonprofit institute. TechCrunch article
> Starhome Mach launched its new M2M/IoT portfolio, which provides operators, system integrators and service providers with new ways to globalize the Internet of Things and differentiate service levels on an individual device level basis. Release
> Sony acquired Softkinetic Systems, an image sensor company whose technology helps image sensors determine how long it takes light to reflect off an object and return to the sensor. Reuters article
> Alphabet, the holding company that includes Google, now owns the unabridged abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.com domain. Wall Street Journal article
Wireless Tech News
> Huawei and ZTE have been effectively shut out from U.S. Tier 1 wireless network contracts after some lawmakers raised concerns about national security a few years ago. But now that it's 2015, isn't it time to revisit those policies? Editor's Corner
> While big names like Google, Facebook and SpaceX are pursuing grand plans to deliver Internet service to the unconnected, O3b Networks -- named for the "other 3 billion" who are unconnected -- is touting how its high throughput, low latency satellite network is already becoming the fastest growing in satellite history. Article
> In August, AT&T flipped the switch on a virtualized packet core in Europe. Analysts explained that the move was geared to aid the transmission of traffic for AT&T's international Internet of Things (IoT) and connected car services, and reduce the carrier's expenses. Article
Cable News
> Amazon has talked to major media conglomerates including CBS Corp. and Comcast/NBCUniversal about launching a live-TV streaming service, according to Bloomberg. Article
> Dish Network is facing the end of an eight-day extension with TV broadcast group Tegna and could see 47 network affiliates blacked out on its program guide Friday night if a retransmission renewal agreement, or another extension, can't be hammered out. Article
Telecom News
> AT&T says that it is moving ahead with efforts to virtualize last mile functions related to its FTTH buildouts centered around the Central Office Re-architected as Data Center (CORD) concept. Article
> TDS Telecom said it is on track to launch in Tipton, Ind., with 1 Gbps Internet and IPTV service market in November, moving it closer to reaching its goal to equip seven new markets this year. Article
And finally… Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure has family at rival AT&T Mobility. It's his cousin Ed. Article