The Open Technology Institute at New America urged the FCC to approve a rule change allowing fixed wireless use of the lower 12 GHz band, but with conditions. In a meeting with Wireless Bureau staff, OTI urged a tribal set aside. “The license rights to all or at least a substantial portion of the 500 megahertz on Tribal lands should be made freely available for broadband deployment at the request of Tribal authorities,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 20-443. The group also said unused spectrum in the band “should be authorized for opportunistic access on a non-interfering basis for fixed wireless services.”
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Just weeks after the Agricultural Marketing Service's rules on import filing and certification requirements for organic goods took effect March 19 (see 2402270052), the agency is still facing the problem of "many uncertified importers," but "we're making good progress," said Jennifer Tucker, deputy director of USDA's National Organics Program, on April 16.
China last week announced sanctions against two U.S. defense companies for supporting U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The designations, imposed under China's anti-foreign sanctions law (see 2310230032), target General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems by freezing their assets in China and placing travel bans on their senior managers, according to an unofficial translation of an April 11 notice from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two companies didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The net neutrality draft order on the FCC's April 25 open meeting agenda (see 2404030043) will face much the same legal arguments as the 2015 net neutrality order did, with many of the same parties involved, we're told by legal experts and net neutrality watchers.
The net neutrality draft order on the FCC's April 25 open meeting agenda (see 2404030043) will face much the same legal arguments as the 2015 net neutrality order did, with many of the same parties involved, we're told by legal experts and net neutrality watchers.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the following voluntary recalls April 11:
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance supported a request by utility company Exelon for a waiver of FCC rules to grant two additional 800 MHz channel pairs allowing use of mobile-to-mobile communications on the subsidiaries’ 800 MHz land mobile radio systems. The Wireless Bureau sought comment on the request, due Wednesday, in docket 24-80 (see 2403120039). “It is not practical or safe for Exelon employees engaged in dangerous activities or working below ground to have to use a different radio for direct communications,” EWA said: “The better solution is the one proposed in the Waiver Requests: 800 MHz channels used only in specific, typically brief instances for mobile-to-mobile transmissions on a secondary basis.” EWA said because of the “very limited, intermittent use” of the channels the interference risks are minimal. EWA filed the only comment so far.
The European Commission on April 10 released an updated report on "significant state-induced distortions" in China's economy, the Directorate-General for Trade announced. The report will allow EU industry to "use the most up-to-date information on the Chinese economy and on specific circumstances of the market" when filing antidumping petitions.
The European Commission on April 10 released an updated report on "significant state-induced distortions" in China's economy, the Directorate-General for Trade announced. The report will allow EU industry to "use the most up-to-date information on the Chinese economy and on specific circumstances of the market" when filing antidumping petitions.
Tribal-area wireless provider Smith Bagley asked the FCC to temporarily provide expanded monthly tribal Lifeline benefits of $25 to $65.75 to make up for the loss of funding as the affordable connectivity program expires. “Over 329,000 Tribal households currently receive ACP discounts, including residents living in remote rural areas that have poverty rates many times the national average,” said a petition posted Monday in docket 11-42: The loss of tribal ACP funding "will have devastating impacts as many residents will find high-quality broadband connections to be priced out of their reach, with few or no options to connect.” Smith Bagley also reported on a call with an aide to FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez on the proposed 5G Fund. It emphasized that the upcoming Tribal 5G Fund auction mechanism “must treat remote Tribal lands as a special case to ensure that these highest-cost areas are not excluded from receiving support as a result of an auction process,” said a filing in docket 20-32. The firm “discussed the extraordinary costs that the company faces in accessing fiber backhaul to its towers, 90% of which are today served by microwave. Without fiber, it will be difficult to meet the Commission’s 5G Fund auction performance requirements.”