ViaSat on Tuesday filed an application for FCC review (10-90) of its Rural Broadband Experiments plan. The Wireline Bureau denied the company’s RBE application Dec. 5. ViaSat’s waiver request was not offered a public comment period, unlike 15 similar requests from other companies, ViaSat said Tuesday. The company suggested the commission hold the RBE auction process in abeyance while it considers ViaSat's review application. In response, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Ozarks Electric Cooperative and Northeast Rural Services filed a joint comment saying they filed their applications and supplemental filings in a timely manner, which positions them next in line to receive funding. The comment also said waivers like that sought by ViaSat could delay the CAF Phase II process.

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers’ office reached a $2 million settlement with Dish Network Friday, focusing on the company’s sales practices. The company will revise its sales disclosures nationwide to reflect its right to raise prices at any time, said the office in a news release. "This is going to have broader implications regarding the disclosure and consumer protection rights that we were able to establish through the agreement by the company to be a lot more forthcoming in its sales practices," said a spokeswoman for the office in an interview Monday. The AG began investigating Dish’s sales practices in 2011. Numerous consumers complained about price increases after the company promised that contract rates were “frozen” or “guaranteed” not to change. While disagreeing with the AG's allegations, Dish said it appreciates the office's "constructive feedback regarding our sales process," emailed a company spokeswoman. "We are pleased to amicably resolve this matter." The settlement was filed in Denver District Court by attorneys with the AG's Consumer Protection Section, as was a civil complaint alleging Dish's sales practices violated the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. The money will be split by the state's general fund and a special consumer protection fund in Suthers' office.

Orbcomm completed its buy of SkyWave Mobile Communications Thursday, said the acquirer in a news release Monday. It said SkyWave will add more than 250,000 subscribers, 400 channel partners and annualized revenue of more than $60 million, as well as expand its machine-to-machine business.

The FCC International Bureau delayed the comment deadlines on the agency’s Fourth Satellite Competition Report, which cover the 2011-2013 calendar years. Initial comments were due Jan. 7, replies Jan. 22. The new due dates are Feb. 6 for initial comments, Feb. 23 for replies, a Tuesday notice from the bureau said. The Satellite Industry Association had requested the delay, the bureau said. “SIA maintains additional time is needed to respond because SIA and its member companies are currently working on several pending proceedings of significant concern to the satellite industry, which have pleading cycles that overlap the comment schedule established by the Public Notice.”

Harris CapRock requested a special temporary authorization for a C-band and Ku-band transmit receive earth station. Harris CapRock plans to use the earth station to support the Royal Caribbean cruise ships, it said in an application to the FCC International Bureau.

Globalstar will use Level 3’s network and infrastructure to help connect its customers in 120 countries. Globalstar plans to provide a “fully meshed Multi-Protocol Label Switching network for their ground stations across the globe,” Level 3 said Monday in a news release. Globalstar is upgrading its backbone infrastructure “and needed a network provider that could offer connectivity and continuity around the globe,” it said.

The Satellite Industry Association requested a 30-day deadline extension for comments in a proceeding on the annual Satellite Competition Report. SIA and its member companies are working on several pending proceedings, including items on Part 25 rules changes, use of spectrum bands above 24 GHz and the development of commission positions for the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference, it said in a filing in docket 14-229. The report comment cycle overlaps with the comment cycles of the three major proceedings, it said. SIA would like the deadline for initial comments to be Feb. 6, and for replies, Feb. 23, it said.

Iridium again said expanded spectrum sharing in the big low earth orbit band would be in the public interest. Sharing that spectrum “would not result in harmful interference to Globalstar,” it said in an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in docket 13-213. Iridium petitioned the FCC to designate 1616 MHz-1617.5 MHz for shared use between Iridium and Globalstar (see 1411060018). The filing pertains to a meeting with International Bureau staff, including International Bureau Chief Mindel De La Torre and Satellite Division Chief Jose Albuquerque.

In its first move to reach the cord-cutter generation, Dish Network said it began rolling out the Netflix app in a software update, becoming the first major U.S. pay TV provider to integrate the Netflix app into its set-top box. The app is available on Dish’s second-generation Hopper DVR, enabling subscribers to instantly stream Netflix content from the same platform as linear TV channels without having to switch sources, Dish said Wednesday. Users can access the Netflix app via the blue button on the Dish remote or by clicking the Netflix icon on the Hopper’s main menu, it said. Dish will extend the Netflix app rollout to Joey, Super Joey and Wireless Joey set-top boxes in “coming months,” it said. Netflix titles are expected to be integrated into the search function across live, recorded and video on demand programs, Dish said. Meanwhile, Fox could disappear from the Dish guide this week as the two sides haven't come to an agreement on a new contract after the current contract expires Saturday at midnight. Media reports said Fox Sports ran commercials during NFL games last week urging viewers to contact their satellite provider about a pending channel blackout of Fox News and Fox Business Network this weekend. Some 20,000 people called the number provided by Fox and 75,000 visited the website, said reports.

The FCC International Bureau reminded filers that applications to deliver programs to foreign stations and on international high frequencies can be made electronically. Those types of applications are among the filings that now can be made online through the FCC Electronic Comment Filing System's non-docketed filing module, though paper versions still will be accepted, said the bureau in a Tuesday public notice. Previously, such filings could be made only on paper, it said.