Both AT&T and Verizon sold their customers' real-time location data to aggregators who resold it to almost anyone willing to pay. Both got fined. Both fought back. One of them just ran out of road.
On Aug. 17, the Supreme Court denied Verizon's petition to recover the $47 million it paid the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over the sale of customer location data, ending the carrier's effort without explanation, according to QZ.
AT&T is in a different position. Its case took a different procedural path and it still has a live shot at recovering the $57 million it paid. That gap matters, and it didn't happen by accident.
The fines go back to April 2024, when the FCC penalized four carriers a combined $196 million for selling customers' location data to aggregators without meaningful consent.
T-Mobile was hit hardest at $80 million. AT&T paid $57 million. Verizon paid $47 million. Sprint paid $12 million.

#million #paid #aggregators #without

Renewable energy developer Avantus said its Aratina 1 solar-plus-storage project has entered commercial operation in California. The 200-MW/500-MWh installation in Kern County has long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), a pair of community choice aggregators.Avantus on July 20 said the company will have a controlling stake in Aratina 1 and will operate the facility. The company said the project is among several **** ets it will oversee as it expands from a clean energy developer to an independent power producer (IPP)."Aratina 1 coming online marks a major milestone for Avantus as an independent power producer, providing reliable clean power to California communities for decades to come," said Cliff Graham, CEO of Avantus. "I'm incredibly proud of what Team Avantus built here. Their expertise across development, construction, financing and operations, and the trust our financing and CCA partners have placed in us, are the foundation we're building our long-term IPP model on.""The Aratina project is a powerful example of how community choice energy turns climate goals into real projects on the ground," said Robert Shaw, CEO of 3CE. "Our long-term commitment to 120 MW from this facility will deliver clean, affordable power to our customers while supporting California's transition away from fossil fuels. We're grateful to partner with Avantus on a project that strengthens grid reliability and invests in the Central Coast's clean energy future."
Avantus said a consortium of lenders, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Truist Securities, ING Capital, and Mizuho, provided financing of more than $500 million for Aratina 1. The project also secured a $300-million tax equity commitment from Truist Bank. Officials said the project created about 500 jobs at peak construction."The clean power generated from the Aratina project gets us one step closer to our climate goals. New projects like this are critical in increasing statewide clean capacity and reliability as we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards an all-electric future," said Monica Padilla, CEO of SVCE.Avantus on Monday said that Aratina 2, the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, located adjacent to Aratina 1, is currently under construction. Aratina 2 recently closed more than $525 million in financing and is targeting commercial operation before year-end. The Aratina Solar Center when complete will represent a combined 350 MW of solar and 952 MWh of energy storage.Avantus develops, owns, and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. The company is backed by strategic investment from KKR and EIG. The company earlier this year closed a financing package of more than $300 million for a project in Arizona.Avantus and Clean Power Alliance, another community choice aggregator, earlier in July announced a 20-year PPA for the Rexford 2 solar-plus-s