T-Mobile has won the backing of Ajit Pai, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, and fellow Republican Brendan Carr for its merger with Sprint after the carriers agreed to several conditions, but the Justice Department reportedly wants more concessions. The carriers agreed to wire rural areas, bring 5G wireless service to most of the US within a few years and sell off Sprint's Boost prepaid service.

Huawei Technologies won a three-month reprieve from a Commerce Department order that would require US companies to obtain a special license to do business with the Chinese vendor and its affiliates. Google followed suit with an extension after initially saying it would stop providing some hardware and services -- including Android updates -- to Huawei.

Apple's reported intent to stop supporting certain older models of iPhone may be reflecting the market, data from SEMrush suggests. The marketing firm found fewer searches for information on the 5S, while support for the iPhone 6 series remains strong, as does a desire for models with 4-inch screens.

Verizon overcame critics worried about the potential adverse health effects of 5G networks and won approval to build small cell towers in Syracuse, N.Y., one of the carrier's initial targets. The city's Common Council voted narrowly in favor after proponents argued that the network will boost the area's tech industry and give local officials some measure of oversight.

Decision-making can be improved when the process involves all relevant stakeholders but the decision is delegated to the proper reporting level, according to McKinsey research. When such decisions also account for enterprise-level concerns, companies can move quickly without sacrificing quality.