The Land Mobile Communications Council requested a meeting with Rosemary Harold, chief of the FCC Enforcement Bureau, on rogue Part 15 devices. The bureau is likely well aware of the problem, the group said in a Tuesday letter. “Devices produced in Asia by multiple manufacturers are often sold through the internet … as well as from retail outlets,” said LMCC. “The accompanying materials note, at most, that the devices have received FCC type-acceptance for use under Part 15 of the rules for amateur operations. In fact, the devices are marketed for use by any entity, for any purpose, complete with programming instructions for operation on any channel from 136-174 MHz and 400-520 MHz without regard or critical information relating to Federal and non-Federal spectrum allocations, user eligibility or licensing requirements.” The FCC didn't comment.

Enterprise Wireless Alliance President Mark Crosby met Zenji Nakazawa, aide to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, on the group's push for action on its 2009 petition for rulemaking seeking rule changes to maximize use of the Part 90 800 MHz spectrum between 809-817 and 854-862 MHz. The FCC asked for comment in 2015 (see 1505130018). “The proposal subsequently was endorsed by virtually the entire Private Land Mobile Radio user community and ... the Land Mobile Communications Council, whose members represent PLMR users, ... agreed on criteria governing the assignment of these channels to protect adjacent 25 kHz bandwidth systems from interference,” EWA said in docket 15-32.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced that it will end its “informed compliance” period and require full filing of Seafood Import Monitoring Program data in ACE beginning April 7, CBP said in a CSMS message. “Beginning April 7, filings for products flagged for NMFS SIM (NM8) data, with no SIMP data, that are incomplete, or that contain erroneous SIM PGA data, must be corrected before they will be accepted,” CBP said.

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Chairman Ajit Pai exchanged barbs over what's holding up a long-pending tribal USF operational-expense relief order, after Clyburn's decision to change her vote to a partial dissent. Clyburn said the order should expand tribal broadband, but Pai said Clyburn's vote robbed the draft of a necessary third vote for an order that would increase tribal broadband funding.

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Chairman Ajit Pai exchanged barbs over what's holding up a long-pending tribal USF operational-expense relief order, after Clyburn's decision to change her vote to a partial dissent. Clyburn said the order should expand tribal broadband, but Pai said Clyburn's vote robbed the draft of a necessary third vote for an order that would increase tribal broadband funding.

Sandwich Isles Communications said the FCC used "red herring arguments that fail to rebut" the carrier's mandamus request for urgent court relief ordering agency disbursement of withheld USF subsidies. Government opposition "ignores the facts and exigent circumstances that compelled" SIC's petition "and which the FCC seeks to sweep under the rug," said a company reply (in Pacer) Tuesday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (In re: Sandwich Isles, No. 17-1248). "The FCC seeks to confuse the Court with irrelevancies and fundamentally mischaracterizes" the relief sought, "misrepresents" commission proceedings and "ignores significant facts" on the USF amount at issue. Sandwich Isles said it wants the court to require the FCC to direct the Universal Service Administrative Co. to determine the USF amount the carrier is owed and disburse it within seven days, without which SIC "will run out of money to pay its employees, jeopardizing" telecom service for Hawaiian Home Lands native people. The FCC/DOJ urged the court to dismiss the petition as unwarranted given the commission's "ample" legal discretion to deny USF subsidies "to companies like SIC that engage in fraud, waste or abuse" (see 1801250018).

The FCC acted to pave the way for a Connect America Fund reverse auction, starting July 24, of $1.98 billion in subsidies over 10 years for fixed broadband and voice services. Commissioners unanimously approved orders on remaining policy issues and a public notice on application and bidding procedures for the CAF Phase II auction targeting high-cost areas traditionally served by larger telcos. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly partially concurred on the orders and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn partially concurred on the PN.

The FCC acted to pave the way for a Connect America Fund reverse auction, starting July 24, of $1.98 billion in subsidies over 10 years for fixed broadband and voice services. Commissioners unanimously approved orders on remaining policy issues and a public notice on application and bidding procedures for the CAF Phase II auction targeting high-cost areas traditionally served by larger telcos. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly partially concurred on the orders and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn partially concurred on the PN.

NAFTA talks progressed during the sixth round of negotiations in Montreal, but much work remains to be done before the U.S., Canada and Mexico reach a new agreement, trade officials from the three countries said following the conclusion of the round on Jan. 29. Negotiators completed a new anti-corruption chapter, and made “tremendous progress” on chapters on customs and trade facilitation, telecommunications, digital trade, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures, Mexican Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal said during a joint press conference at the end of the talks.

CENTURY CITY, Calif. -- Video & Audio Center, a 36-year-old Los Angeles-area CE retail survivor, threw a grand opening party Thursday for its fifth store, which is intended to lead the company into the future of technology retailing in the redesigned, upscale Westfield Century City mall. It’s a return to a location the company knows well; it took over the Sony Store in the same mall in 2014, then shut down while the mall went through a $1 billion makeover.