Broadcasters, public safety groups and wireless mic makers raised concerns about proposals to allow TV white spaces (TVWS) devices to operate with higher power in less-congested areas, in comments on an FCC NPRM. Commissioners approved the notice 5-0 in February (see 2002280055). CTA, public interest groups and Microsoft urged the FCC to approve the proposal. Initial comments were due Monday in docket 20-36.
Broadcasters, public safety groups and wireless mic makers raised concerns about proposals to allow TV white spaces (TVWS) devices to operate with higher power in less-congested areas, in comments on an FCC NPRM. Commissioners approved the notice 5-0 in February (see 2002280055). CTA, public interest groups and Microsoft urged the FCC to approve the proposal. Initial comments were due Monday in docket 20-36.
The new FCC seal was inspired by both the original seal and those of other federal agencies, said FCC IT Project manager Umasankar Arumugam, the new seal’s designer (see 2004300060). Arumugam works for NCI Information Systems, a contractor for the agency. “I wanted to represent all of the current communication technologies in the seal and make the design a little more contemporary, while still borrowing elements from the legacy seal, such as the sky and land concepts represented by satellite and towers,” he emailed: The typography's serif font “is both formal and can evoke a sense of trust, making it ideal for an authoritative seal.” Arumugam worked on the seal during his free time, has designed user experiences for several FCC systems, and worked on Broadband.gov and the FCC Accessibility Clearinghouse, an FCC spokesperson told us.
The FCC is “finally” getting tough on China under President Donald Trump and Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Brendan Carr said during an American Conservative Union webinar Wednesday. Matthew Whitaker, former acting U.S. attorney general, warned of the threat posed by China. Carr is a critic of China's governing regime (see 2004240045).
Industry, policymakers and consumer advocates are seeking new ways to expand Lifeline enrollment and benefits in response to the public health and economic crisis, we're told. Some advocates are pursuing emergency funding to provide a more robust residential broadband Lifeline benefit to meet the demands of working and learning at home. Stay-at-home orders put restraints on Lifeline promotion and enrollment.
Industry, policymakers and consumer advocates are seeking new ways to expand Lifeline enrollment and benefits in response to the public health and economic crisis, we're told. Some advocates are pursuing emergency funding to provide a more robust residential broadband Lifeline benefit to meet the demands of working and learning at home. Stay-at-home orders put restraints on Lifeline promotion and enrollment.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announces retirement of Pam Yingling, lead industry analyst, Public Safety Bureau licensing branch in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania ... Calfee Strategic Solutions names Timothy Day, ex-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as principal, focused on federal and state lobbying ... Lewis Brisbois hires Brian Craig, ex-TLT, as partner-data privacy and cybersecurity.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announces retirement of Pam Yingling, lead industry analyst, Public Safety Bureau licensing branch in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania ... Calfee Strategic Solutions names Timothy Day, ex-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as principal, focused on federal and state lobbying ... Lewis Brisbois hires Brian Craig, ex-TLT, as partner-data privacy and cybersecurity.
NTIA released a report Thursday by its Institute for Telecommunication Sciences summarizing federal spectrum occupancy results in the 3.45−3.55 and 3.55−3.65 GHz bands at four coastal military installations -- San Diego, San Francisco, Norfolk and Oregon's Astoria. San Diego had the highest use of the spectrum, the report said. Tests were done throughout 2018 and 2019. “Incumbent federal operations in both these bands are primarily military radars and include shipborne, airborne, and land-based systems,” NTIA blogged.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative granted iRobot an exclusion Wednesday to the List 3 Section 301 tariffs on the robotic vacuum cleaners it imports from China under the 8508.11.00.00 product code. IRobot applied for the exemption July 1 and based its argument partly on plans to shift production to Malaysia from China. It began producing entry-level vacuums in Malaysia in November, and said it will source additional models there later in 2020. The exclusion is retroactive to Sept. 24, 2018, when the List 3 tariffs took effect at 10%, and is valid through Aug. 7. The Trump administration hiked List 3 to 25% on March 2, 2019. IRobot estimated it incurred $37.9 million in 2019 tariff costs but had no “material” tariff expenses for 2018. It’s scheduled Tuesday to report Q1 results. IRobot’s was one of 107 exemptions granted for “specially prepared product descriptions” covering 157 “separate exclusion requests,” said USTR. IRobot is "pleased that the USTR determined that our rationale for an exclusion was appropriate, particularly in light of the tangible steps we have taken to establish our manufacturing activities in Malaysia," emailed CEO Colin Angle Thursday. "As the largest American pure-play robotics company, with over 800 U.S.-based employees and roughly half of our revenue generated domestically, we believe that an exclusion not only further supports iRobot's ability to maintain its technological and category leadership but it also helps ensure that robotics is an industry in which the U.S. continues to lead the world."