Stakeholders want the FCC to delay further Lifeline changes and promptly answer an industry petition requesting a pause on stricter minimum broadband service standards set for Dec. 1 (see 1908300026), they said in interviews last week. A proposed order and Further NPRM stirred some concern amid others that the poor could lose access to mobile broadband if the cost exceeds federal reimbursements. Last month, Chairman Ajit Pai circulated the "administrative clean-up" order and FNPRM (see 1908290028). Since a "highly problematic" 2017 NPRM on Lifeline fraud and abuse, Public Knowledge has been cautious about Pai's Lifeline proposals, said Policy Director Phillip Berenbroick. Industry groups are focusing on a representative accountability database (RAD) that collects personally identifying information (PII) from sales agents and employees of eligible telecom carriers (ETCs) who interact with the national verifier database to sign up and renew Lifeline subscribers. Mike Romano, NTCA senior vice president-business development and industry affairs, said ETC employees shouldn't have to provide PII because the telecom companies can track them down. Romano said the RAD asks for last four digits of a Social Security number and home address on a voluntary basis, saying such information would be required if the FCC doesn't decide otherwise by year-end. "It's hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube. If in four months, it turns out you don't need it, that information is already out there. If we're going to think this through, let's wait." ITTA had meetings involving the RAD, said President Genny Morelli, including some last week and others set for this week. ITTA, too, is arguing ETC employees who don't receive commissions to sign up Lifeline subscribers shouldn't have to register. If they do, information should be limited to name, title, business phone number and email, Morelli said. She's encouraged that commissioners' offices were still taking meetings. The petition to delay implementation of new service standards remains "under review," an agency spokesperson emailed Friday. The representative doesn't expect any draft items not covered in a news-media call last month (see 1908190028) to be controversial.

Stakeholders interviewed last week want the FCC to delay further Lifeline changes and promptly answer an industry petition requesting a pause on stricter minimum broadband service standards set for Dec. 1 (see 1906280012). A proposed order and Further NPRM has stirred some concern, as the poor could lose access to mobile broadband if the cost to provide new minimum service levels exceeds incentives from federal reimbursements.

Josh.ai announced new partner integrations with Comcast, Ketra and Samsung ahead of CEDIA Expo, beginning Wednesday in Denver, along with a virtual TV remote control for Apple devices. Comcast integration provides control of live TV using voice and the Josh app, allowing customers to ask for channels by name or number; functionality also includes the ability to navigate the Comcast guide and menu, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind and select content, said Josh. Integration with Samsung IP TVs lets users control power and volume and change sources, it said. A TV remote built in to iPhone and iPad apps enable a “natural and intuitive touch experience for control,” it said. The company added “concise mode” to its offerings, a one-word confirmation when it’s controlling certain devices: rather than telling a homeowner the living room lights are now on, it will just say, “ok." Josh.ai’s new native integration with Lutron’s Ketra lighting system enables homeowners to adjust color temperature and hue of lights via voice or app, it said. A new Sonos feature lets users auto-discover and control favorite pre-defined playlists, it said. Josh.ai also updated its privacy and security features, announcing new features around permissioning so customers and integrators can specify more granular user roles, said the company. All data Josh.ai gathers is used to improve the customer experience, said the company, but users have the option to disable all data gathering and delete specific logs.

Josh.ai announced new partner integrations with Comcast, Ketra and Samsung ahead of CEDIA Expo, beginning Wednesday in Denver, along with a virtual TV remote control for Apple devices. Comcast integration provides control of live TV using voice and the Josh app, allowing customers to ask for channels by name or number; functionality also includes the ability to navigate the Comcast guide and menu, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind and select content, said Josh. Integration with Samsung IP TVs lets users control power and volume and change sources, it said. A TV remote built in to iPhone and iPad apps enable a “natural and intuitive touch experience for control,” it said. The company added “concise mode” to its offerings, a one-word confirmation when it’s controlling certain devices: rather than telling a homeowner the living room lights are now on, it will just say, “ok." Josh.ai’s new native integration with Lutron’s Ketra lighting system enables homeowners to adjust color temperature and hue of lights via voice or app, it said. A new Sonos feature lets users auto-discover and control favorite pre-defined playlists, it said. Josh.ai also updated its privacy and security features, announcing new features around permissioning so customers and integrators can specify more granular user roles, said the company. All data Josh.ai gathers is used to improve the customer experience, said the company, but users have the option to disable all data gathering and delete specific logs.

The planned U.S. and Chinese tariff increases are expected to go forward as scheduled and escalation will continue "until both sides feel enough economic, market and/or political pain to strike a deal," said Bank of America Merrill Lynch global economists Ethan Harris and Aditya Bhave in a Sept. 3 research report. "The recent escalation has opened an almost insurmountable gap in terms of numbers and trust," the economists said. "The only real question is whether the Trump Administration takes the politically dangerous step of imposing tariffs on headline consumer products in December. We think they give it a go: given the supply chain lags it will mainly impact consumer prices after the holidays. All told we expect US tariffs against China to increase from about $63bn in August to more than $115bn by yearend, with Chinese tariffs on US products rising from $20bn to $25bn."

Escalation in the U.S.-China trade war will continue "until both sides feel enough economic, market and/or political pain to strike a deal," said Bank of America Merrill Lynch global economists Ethan Harris and Aditya Bhave in a research report Tuesday. "The recent escalation has opened an almost insurmountable gap in terms of numbers and trust," said the economists. "The only real question is whether the Trump Administration takes the politically dangerous step of imposing tariffs on headline consumer products in December," as it's scheduled to do mid-month, they said. "We think they give it a go: given the supply chain lags it will mainly impact consumer prices after the holidays. All told we expect US tariffs against China to increase from about $63bn in August to more than $115bn by yearend, with Chinese tariffs on US products rising from $20bn to $25bn." Closer to the 2020 election, "we expect a prolonged pause in the US-China trade war, with continued tough rhetoric and behind-the-scenes action by the US Commerce Department, but no major new tariffs," Smith and Bhave said. BofA ML estimates Amazon would need to hike prices an average of 2.1 percent on its first-party goods to "offset the impact" of the 15 percent List 4 tariffs, said analysts Justin Post and Michael McGovern in a separate report. Should List 4 tariffs rise to 25 percent, Amazon would need to raise prices 3.5 percent in its first-party marketplace, they said.

The planned U.S. and Chinese tariff increases are expected to go forward as scheduled and escalation will continue "until both sides feel enough economic, market and/or political pain to strike a deal," said Bank of America Merrill Lynch global economists Ethan Harris and Aditya Bhave in a Sept. 3 research report. "The recent escalation has opened an almost insurmountable gap in terms of numbers and trust," the economists said. "The only real question is whether the Trump Administration takes the politically dangerous step of imposing tariffs on headline consumer products in December. We think they give it a go: given the supply chain lags it will mainly impact consumer prices after the holidays. All told we expect US tariffs against China to increase from about $63bn in August to more than $115bn by yearend, with Chinese tariffs on US products rising from $20bn to $25bn."

The FCC should grant an NTCA petition for waiver of a Dec. 1 update to minimum standards and voice support for the Lifeline program, said comments posted in docket 11-42 late last week by rural LEC consulting firm TCA. Increasing the minimum broadband service requirement to 20 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream could force consumers to buy more-expensive packages, TCA said. The Oregon Public Utility Commission also supported the waiver (see 1908290039). Don't "force Lifeline consumers’ to bear a higher cost of service by forcing them to subscribe to more expensive broadband service tiers to retain their Lifeline support,” TCA asked. The FCC should take up NTCA’s proposal to grandfather current speeds, while allowing customers to voluntarily shift to higher ones, the firm said. “Granting this waiver will ensure participants of the Lifeline Program remain connected by either voice or broadband as well as help RLECs be the link for keeping low-income customers connected.” The National Lifeline Association and Q Link Wireless spoke with an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in support of a CTIA petition seeking a pause of the Dec. 1 change to minimum service standards. “If left unchanged, the December 2019 minimum service standards will effectively impose a $30/month price increase on Lifeline subscribers -- a price increase that these subscribers cannot afford,” they filed. NaLA and Q Link urged ensuring the national verifier doesn’t proceed to hard launch in any state “until a robust” application programming interface and access to state/federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid databases are in place. State regulators said similar last week (see reports, Aug. 30 and Sept. 3).

The FCC should grant an NTCA petition for waiver of a Dec. 1 update to minimum standards and voice support for the Lifeline program, said comments posted in docket 11-42 late last week by rural LEC consulting firm TCA. Increasing the minimum broadband service requirement to 20 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream could force consumers to buy more-expensive packages, TCA said. The Oregon Public Utility Commission also supported the waiver (see 1908290039). Don't "force Lifeline consumers’ to bear a higher cost of service by forcing them to subscribe to more expensive broadband service tiers to retain their Lifeline support,” TCA asked. The FCC should take up NTCA’s proposal to grandfather current speeds, while allowing customers to voluntarily shift to higher ones, the firm said. “Granting this waiver will ensure participants of the Lifeline Program remain connected by either voice or broadband as well as help RLECs be the link for keeping low-income customers connected.” The National Lifeline Association and Q Link Wireless spoke with an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in support of a CTIA petition seeking a pause of the Dec. 1 change to minimum service standards. “If left unchanged, the December 2019 minimum service standards will effectively impose a $30/month price increase on Lifeline subscribers -- a price increase that these subscribers cannot afford,” they filed. NaLA and Q Link urged ensuring the national verifier doesn’t proceed to hard launch in any state “until a robust” application programming interface and access to state/federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid databases are in place. State regulators said similar last week (see reports, Aug. 30 and Sept. 3).

State regulators found much to like in what little they know about coming FCC Lifeline changes, when we surveyed all NARUC Telecom Committee members this and last week. All respondents are happy their federal counterparts appear poised to clarify states can continue being the ones to decide whether telecom providers can be designated as eligible for the USF program for the poor. Many like the idea of the Universal Service Administrative Co. sharing more information. An FCC "backgrounder" given to news media said that would boost "transparency with states to improve oversight of the Lifeline program, including by directing USAC to share information regarding suspicious activity with state officials."