U.S., AWS-3 Auction Winners Clash Over Briefing Schedule in Fraud Suit

The plaintiffs and defendants disagree who gets the last word in a motion for judgment on the pleadings on Vermont National Telephone (VTEL) claims of fraud by big winners in the 2015 AWS-3 auction. In a docket 1:15-cv-00728 opposition to amending the briefing schedule filed Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the U.S. said it hasn't addressed any matter not otherwise raised by defendants Dish Network, SNR Wireless and Northstar Wireless in their reply to the governments notice of opposition to dismissal. Relator VTEL said similarly the defendants "seek yet another brief for no good reason" and their argument the government and relator raised new arguments "strains credulity." Dish, SNR and Northstar in their Jan. 9 motion seeking to amend the briefing schedule so they could reply to replies the U.S. and VTEL made earlier this month said those filings "advance a host of new arguments" necessitating response.