Early Comments Urge Caution on Further Gear Authorization Rules

cybersecurity but “the Commission must ensure any equipment certifications fall within the appropriate Commission authority, are narrowly tailored to prevent harm that would result from adding further delays to equipment availability and are not applied retroactively.” Providers, including NTCA members, “typically have no role in the equipment design, manufacturing, or assembly processes, and thus must rely entirely upon information from manufacturers and vendors identifying the equipment components.” IPVM, a security industry research group, reminded the FCC the landscape is complicated. ADI, America’s largest security distributor, recently “placed a considerable order” with China’s Hikvision “which we estimate is valued in the low-tens of millions of dollars” and at least 100,000 more Hikvision devices “are now headed for shelves at ADI stores across America,” IPVM said. The group cited a similar deal involving Dahua-made Lorex cameras: “If the FCC plans to proceed with revoking existing authorizations, we advise that it do so expeditiously. The cost and complexity of such action -- both to the FCC and Americans generally -- only increases over time as droves of devices are continually imported into and installed in the US.”