Laser-scanning display developer MicroVision is making “significant progress” landing global tier-one customers for its display-only and interactive-display products for consumer IoT applications, said CEO Perry Mulligan on a Q2 call Thursday. MicroVision’s decision at customers’ requests to replace the Class 3R lasers in the display modules with Class 1 laser components will cost the supplier roughly a quarter’s delay in production, he said.

Costa Rica’s General Tax Administration published a resolution clarifying which export-related services are exempt from value-added taxes, according to a July 5 post and report from KPMG. The recently published resolution said “port and airport services,” including transportation services for “goods destined for export to ports, airports and land borders” are part of the “exempt operations related to exports,” KPMG said.

Vietnam's General Department of Customs announced several investigations into origin fraud after it discovered foreign companies “taking advantage of Vietnam origin to export to third countries to enjoy preferential treatment,” according to a July 17 report from Customs News, the customs agency’s mouthpiece. The country’s customs is investigating “six large enterprises operating in import and export of wood” products related to China, the report said. Authorities have found several customs violations relating to rules of origin, including companies using a “certificate of fake land use in the document to prove materials are produced in Vietnam.” In one case, Vietnam discovered a company “imported thousands of products from China” but recorded the production in Vietnam, the report said.

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance is questioning why the FCC quietly stopped processing applications for Part 90 license renewals for the T band. A provision in the 2012 spectrum law mandates public safety agencies move off the 470-512 band by 2021 (see 1808020051). EWA complained the FCC won’t contingently renew the licenses and never released a notice saying it won’t renew licenses. The agency didn’t comment.

The FCC is sharing illustrative examples of how Universal Service Administrative Co. recovers money from participants in the alternative Connect America model (A-CAM) program that don't provide the highest level of service they contracted to offer to as many locations as promised. It said in docket 10-90 a carrier's flexibility to serve 95 percent of its required obligations by the end of a 10-year term without penalty "may not be disproportionately applied to 25/3 Mbps obligations, rather than its 10/1 Mbps obligations." The agency upholds separate buildout obligations for tribal lands if the participating carrier elects an offer including an adjustment based on the tribal broadband factor: "Failing to enforce separate buildout obligations for Tribal lands would result in windfall support amounts for some A-CAM II carriers and would thwart the Commission's established goal of broadband deployment in rural Tribal communities." Industry raised concerns models used to develop buildout obligations for some rural USF programs don't resemble reality (see 1906210010). Some groups want to make sure a second broadband connection delivered to a residence for a distinct home office or business counts as a location (see 1907110003).

Verizon solved a “conundrum” in the U.S. mobile industry in the first half by meeting consumers’ desire for “unfettered video consumption while maintaining a quality video experience,” OpenSignal reported Monday.

Verizon solved a “conundrum” in the U.S. mobile industry in the first half by meeting consumers’ desire for “unfettered video consumption while maintaining a quality video experience,” OpenSignal reported Monday.

Verizon solved a “conundrum” in the U.S. mobile industry in the first half by meeting consumers’ desire for “unfettered video consumption while maintaining a quality video experience,” OpenSignal reported Monday.

The Association of American Railroads told the FCC it faces unique challenges if the agency reconfigures the 900 MHz band to allow for broadband (see 1907030028). AAR’s replies were posted Friday in docket 17-200. Railroads rely on a nationwide ribbon license created in 2001 from more than 300 private land mobile radio call signs for communications, AAR said. “Member railroads rely on the ribbon license’s six noncontiguous, paired frequencies for Train Control/Central Traffic Control operations, which enable approximately 9,500 transceivers to wirelessly control wayside track switches and signals.” Three of the license’s paired frequencies are within the proposed broadband swath and the remaining three paired frequencies are less than 1 MHz away, the group said. “Relocating AAR’s frequencies county-by-county would administratively and operationally burden AAR, which could be required to: (1) hire additional staff to track its new patchwork network of frequencies across hundreds or thousands of counties; and (2) reconfigure its network to accommodate different base stations operating on different frequencies in different counties, thereby creating potentially unsafe conditions for trackside switch and signal operations.”

An FCC Enforcement Bureau citation directs Jose Perez to “immediately cease and desist” reprogramming transmitters to operate on unauthorized frequencies, “and to avoid any recurrence of this misconduct.” The bureau warned Perez he faces fines of up to $20,134 daily if he doesn’t comply. Perez couldn’t be reached for comment. Agents from the bureau’s New York office investigated and found L and G Car Service, licensee of private land mobile station WQVL958, allegedly transmitting on 154.8025 MHz at 445 Broadway, Paterson, New Jersey. “The license for Station WQVL958 does not authorize operation on 154.8025 MHz,” the bureau said Wednesday. “A representative from L and G Car Service informed the Agents that its radio vendor, Perez Communications and Electronics, had programmed the frequency 154.8025 MHz into its radio transmitters.” The bureau directed Perez to provide a timeline within 30 days for taking “corrective actions.”