Tech and business groups hailed President Donald Trump’s decision postponing the List 4 Section 301 tariffs as his administration tries to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal with China, though three existing rounds of tariffs stay as is, and the threat remains that List 4 could be imposed any time if the talks go awry, as they did in May (see 1905060015). Bipartisan Capitol Hill condemnation greeted Trump’s surprise announcement he will let U.S. companies resume shipments to Huawei, though the tech-equipment giant remains subject to Commerce Department export administration regulations and entity list restrictions (see 1905160081).
CTIA and several advocacy groups asked the FCC Wireline Bureau to pause changes to Lifeline minimum service standards until the agency reviews a marketplace study due in two years, they said in a joint petition Thursday in docket 11-42. Two changes in question would otherwise take effect on Dec. 1 (see 1809170036). The Lifeline program would impose a fivefold increase in the minimum required broadband data usage allowance, "upsetting the balance the Commission intended to strike in 2016 between affordability and reasonable comparability." The second change would phase down Lifeline support for voice services. The petition notes "upwards of 40 percent of current Lifeline subscribers" still rely on the program for voice service plans. "Given the current mobile wireless market, allowing the two changes to go into effect would restrict eligible low-income consumers' access to, and undermine the affordability of, Lifeline broadband and voice service offerings to the detriment of those the program is designed to help and before the Commission has the benefit of a marketplace analysis," the petition said. The National Consumer Law Center, National Hispanic Media Coalition, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and the United Church of Christ Office of Communication co-signed the petition.
CTIA and several advocacy groups asked the FCC Wireline Bureau to pause changes to Lifeline minimum service standards until the agency reviews a marketplace study due in two years, they said in a joint petition Thursday in docket 11-42. Two changes in question would otherwise take effect on Dec. 1 (see 1809170036). The Lifeline program would impose a fivefold increase in the minimum required broadband data usage allowance, "upsetting the balance the Commission intended to strike in 2016 between affordability and reasonable comparability." The second change would phase down Lifeline support for voice services. The petition notes "upwards of 40 percent of current Lifeline subscribers" still rely on the program for voice service plans. "Given the current mobile wireless market, allowing the two changes to go into effect would restrict eligible low-income consumers' access to, and undermine the affordability of, Lifeline broadband and voice service offerings to the detriment of those the program is designed to help and before the Commission has the benefit of a marketplace analysis," the petition said. The National Consumer Law Center, National Hispanic Media Coalition, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and the United Church of Christ Office of Communication co-signed the petition.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., doesn’t see her panel’s privacy group (see 1906140052) as the best route for reaching legislative consensus, a Democratic committee aide told us Thursday. A day earlier saw reports that Cantwell wants to negotiate bilaterally with Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Pole riders sought revamped Connecticut pole attachment rules to deal with a rush of attachment applications. The state Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) asked for feedback by Wednesday on a United Illuminating proposal to revise PURA's temporary attachment guidelines, but CenturyLink and the New England Cable and Telecommunications Association (NECTA) suggested in comments in docket 19-01-52 that the pole owner’s plan doesn’t address the full problem. Meanwhile, Connecticut legislators’ failure to pass a municipal broadband bill sent debate over a pole space reserved for municipal use back to court.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., doesn’t see her panel’s privacy group (see 1906140052) as the best route for reaching legislative consensus, a Democratic committee aide told us Thursday. A day earlier saw reports that Cantwell wants to negotiate bilaterally with Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Reliability of an online content delivery network (CDN) to replace GOES rebroadcast (GRB) weather data from NOAA is being questioned by some in the weather and satellite community as the FCC seeks comment on proposed allocation and service rules for the 1675-1680 MHz band. Weather interests also raised red flags about possible interference issues (see 1906210056).
The World Trade Organization case that the U.S. opened against China on intellectual property (see 1804090020) has been suspended. The announcement, published June 14 by the WTO, gave no indication as to why the U.S. asked the dispute panel to pause in its consideration of the case. Under WTO rules, a case can be suspended for 12 months.
The World Trade Organization case that the U.S. opened against China on intellectual property (see 1804090020) has been suspended. The announcement, published June 14 by the WTO, gave no indication as to why the U.S. asked the dispute panel to pause in its consideration of the case. Under WTO rules, a case can be suspended for 12 months.
ARRL updated the FCC Wednesday on its work trying to reach an agreement in a proceeding that proposes to remove limitations on the symbol, or baud, rate, applicable to data emissions in some amateur bands. In March, the amateur radio operator group asked to pause the proceeding (see 1903280059), in docket 16-239. “The nation benefits from Amateur Radio’s fairly flexible regulatory framework that, geared in part toward experimentation, continues to play an important role in advancing technological innovation” the group said: “But inevitably in Amateur Radio, as in other Commission-regulated areas, adapting current regulation to rapidly evolving technology can be a challenge and requires adjustments to continue to serve valid regulatory purposes without stymying technological change and innovation.” ARRL said it scheduled a meeting in Washington for Tuesday, but that had to be scuttled and is being rescheduled. “While there is no guarantee of success, the ARRL’s efforts continue to focus on providing a means for all facets of the Amateur Radio service to grow and prosper within its traditional regulatory structure,” the group said, posted Wednesday.