As the U.S. moves toward 5G, it should focus on modular architecture with open interfaces, which would make networks less reliant on equipment vendors Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung, the Center for a New American Security said Tuesday. The U.S. “has the opportunity to regain momentum by taking a fresh approach to 5G” in the aftermath of COVID-19, CNAS said. It warned the pandemic will likely slow deployments. It said: “A modular architecture allows an operator to choose multiple vendors for a range of offerings, rather than being locked in with a single large integrated vendor. Open interfaces -- the ability of equipment from any vendor to work with that of another -- make that possible. Such a shift means upending the industry status quo.”

Incompas’ show scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Las Vegas will be virtual. “As much as we all had hoped to be able to meet in person this September … the well-being of our attendees and exhibitors takes precedence," said CEO Chip Pickering. “Given the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, we will be moving to an all-virtual 2020 INCOMPAS Show.” Earlier Tuesday, CTA did the same with CES 2021 (see 2007280034). Our news bulletin is here. (It's in front of the pay wall, like some other coronavirus coverage.)

CTA’s decision to scratch CES 2021 as a physical event gives the association five months and nine days to craft an online experience that outdoes that of most virtual trade shows run during the pandemic, officials said. “Moving to an all-digital format for CES is simply the right thing to do,” said CEO Gary Shapiro by video. “Our exhibitors partners and thought leaders will now have the time to plan, to think, to create compelling ways to engage digital audiences from around the world.”

USTelecom's Industry Traceback Group (ITG) is the official consortium for coordinating industry-led efforts to trace back the origin of suspected unlawful robocalls, the FCC Enforcement Bureau said Monday. The Traced Act directed the FCC to put together rules for a single consortium heading those private-led efforts, and the FCC in March adopted rules governing that consortium (see 2004170021). In the order appointing ITG, the bureau said it was the only applicant and is both neutral and competent to shepherd the efforts. “The message this sends to would be robocall scammers is loud and clear: we’ve got your number," USTelecom said, adding that it's "an important recognition of our technology, our commitment and our success fighting the scammers and spoofers who pollute our shared communications networks with these illegal robocalls." It said its team of wireline, wireless, VoIP and cable providers is "focused on tracing the source of illegal robocalls around the world and coordinating with federal and state enforcement agencies to bring criminals to justice. We’ve already shut down scams preying on vulnerable consumers during the pandemic. As the FCC’s registered traceback consortium, we intend to continue our laser-like scrutiny not just on robocall scammers, but the under the radar providers who let junk calls onto the network in the first place. We’re tracing back more calls every single day and ready to expand this work for consumers.” Nov. 15 is the deadline for voice service providers and ITG to update the FCC Enforcement Bureau on industry efforts July 27-Oct. 31 to trace the source of suspected unlawful robocalls, the bureau said in a public notice. The bureau's data collection is part of a Traced Act requirement the FCC annually submit a report to Congress on the status of such private-led efforts, it said.

Africa needs a unified policy approach to its domain name market, speakers said Monday at an ICANN virtual forum on the African domain name system. Among other problems are widely divergent charges for domain names, ranging $3-$500 across the continent, said Moctar Yedaly, African Union Commission information society division head. The COVID-19 pandemic offers lessons for the African continent, said South Africa Central Registry CEO Lucky Masilela. In addition to harmonizing domain prices, the sector must address issues of trust and security, he said. Africa is a youthful continent, and younger people must be empowered to have their own internet identities, he said. Business barrier issues are hampering DNS markets, said Ghana Dot Com Chairman and former ICANN board member Nii Quaynor. The DNS is a public good that exists only because people are willing to use its identifiers, he said: The DNS community must manage it responsibly to ensure the internet is stable, inclusive and accessible globally. Governments should foster a friendly policy environment to allow trust, and refrain from getting into managing top-level domains, he said. As Africa migrates business to the local internet, governments must address governance through more bottom-up, multistakeholder processes, Quaynor said. They must lower business barriers through such things as a continental free trade area, and should commit to using their own country-code domains, he said. It's in every administration's best interest to safeguard the DNS, said South Africa Domain Name Authority Chairperson Palesa Legoze, whose organization manages the .za ccTLD. Countries' whose country-code top-level domains (ccTLD)s have few registrants should look at the pricing and quality of service offered, she said. Governments can fund ccTLD managers until they're viable and have the volume of domain name registrations needed, she said. Nigeria has over 200 million people and not many domain names, but it's working to correct that through offering flexible policies and pricing, encouraging the hosting of local content and creating good content, said Nigeria Internet Registration Association Executive Secretary Edith Udeagu. Foreign domain names are viewed as better than local, so her organization tries to encourage enterprises to use .ng names and websites rather than just social media platforms, and tries to spur websites that host local content, she said. Quaynor warned against nationalism. A business that serves a particular area will want a domain that shows that, but Africa-wide companies should choose, for example, .africa or .com. Legoze urged Africans to coalesce on DNS policies, to "come together and speak with one voice."

The FCC Wireless Bureau granted emergency authorization for standard reviews to proceed for public safety in Michigan’s Charlevoix and Washtenaw counties. The bureau June 25 released an electronic process for licensees to apply for expedited historic review or emergency authorization of wireless facilities during the pandemic (see 2006260028).

More than six in 10 seniors agree that stay-at-home mandates swayed them to embrace technology more, and nearly half regularly binge-watch TV shows, a healthinsurance.com survey found. The healthcare website canvassed 1,000 U.S. adults 65 and older online July 20-21, finding tech ownership is high among Medicare-eligible seniors. Three-quarters own a smart TV or streaming device, 89% have a smartphone and 68% use a tablet. Two-thirds subscribe to cable. Sixty-four percent say they left the house only to visit the supermarket or pharmacy. Sixty-eight percent of those who haven’t used telehealth during the pandemic say it’s because they haven’t had to. Ten percent used it before the crisis, 44% have used it since and 43% plan to continue using it after COVID-19.

Public Knowledge's IP3 Awards event Sept. 24 -- covering areas of intellectual property, information policy and internet protocol -- will be virtual due to the pandemic, PK said Monday.

Americans are increasingly worried about returning to offices amid spikes in COVID-19 cases, and most expect more fall outbreaks, IBM’s monthly consumer attitudes survey found. It canvassed 7,000 respondents in July, finding 84% would prefer working from home indefinitely, at least occasionally, up 3 points from June. More than six in 10 say employers need to communicate clearly what they're doing to sanitize, up from 54% in June. And 58% say employers need strict social distancing protocols, up from 49% in June. Telehealth use is rising, with 40% having participated in a virtual medical visit the past month, up 6 points from June. Half the June respondents planned to keep using telehealth after the pandemic, and 60% expressed those intentions in July. Only 19% said they used telehealth sessions before COVID-19.

CTA will move CES 2021 to an all-virtual event on Jan. 6-9 from a physical show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, said the association Tuesday.