The FCC Wireline Bureau granted NTCA's and AT&T's requests to waive some non-usage tracking rules for the affordable connectivity program, in an order Tuesday in docket 21-450. The bureau granted NTCA's request to let small providers track usage for households on tribal lands receiving a fully subsidized offering on a rolling 30-day basis until Sept. 15 and a retroactive waiver to Jan. 1 of the Lifeline usage tracking requirement for providers applying the Lifeline and ACP benefit to the same service if it results in a fully subsidized offering (see 2205270043). Providers must inform the Universal Service Administrative Co. of their intent to take advantage of the waiver within 30 days. The bureau also granted AT&T's request to waive the non-usage rules for its customers receiving fully subsidized plans that use asymmetric digital subscriber line technology until Aug. 13 (see 2205090056).
A top official in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said that opposition to extending a moratorium on tariffs on sales of intangible goods has surfaced before, but that the e-commerce moratorium has been renewed at every World Trade Organization ministerial conference since 1998. "There are a few countries, despite benefiting from e-commerce and digital trade, who continue to resist an extension of the moratorium," she said, but most countries, including in the developing world, see the tariff-free status as important.
A top official in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said that opposition to extending a moratorium on tariffs on sales of intangible goods has surfaced before, but that the e-commerce moratorium has been renewed at every World Trade Organization ministerial conference since 1998. "There are a few countries, despite benefiting from e-commerce and digital trade, who continue to resist an extension of the moratorium," she said, but most countries, including in the developing world, see the tariff-free status as important.
Spectrum Advanced Services' application to discontinue its VoIP services was deemed not automatically granted, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Thursday. The commission "requires additional time to complete its review" following oppositions filed by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Division of Consumer Advocacy and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
A top official in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said that opposition to extending a moratorium on tariffs on sales of intangible goods has surfaced before, but that the e-commerce moratorium has been renewed at every World Trade Organization ministerial conference since 1998. "There are a few countries, despite benefiting from e-commerce and digital trade, who continue to resist an extension of the moratorium," she said, but most countries, including in the developing world, see the tariff-free status as important.
Top members of the House and Senate Commerce committees are having varying levels of success in moving forward in the coming weeks on spectrum legislation. The House Communications Subcommittee plans to mark up a revised version of the Extending America’s Spectrum Auction Leadership Act (HR-7783) Wednesday along with other legislation, subpanel Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., said in an interview. Senate Commerce leaders, meanwhile, told us they're still grappling with how to move forward on the Improving Spectrum Coordination Act (S-1472) after an amendment fight prompted them to remove it from a markup last month (see 2205250063).
Smith Bagley asked the FCC to extend Lifeline's document requirements for reverification, recertification, general de-enrollment, and income for subscribers in rural areas on tribal lands, said a petition posted Thursday in docket 11-42. The Wireline Bureau previously extended its waiver of the requirements until June 30 (see 2203250065). Smith Bagley requested an extension through Sept. 30, saying "thousands of subscribers" are at risk of de-enrollment. Arizona's Department of Economic Security backed the extension and said the national verifier "lacks connectivity to critical program participation data" in the state. The department said "many Arizona families would lose their Lifeline-supported voice and broadband services" absent the extension.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi and other panel Republicans criticized NTIA’s plans for rolling out its $48 billion share of broadband money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act during a Thursday hearing with agency Administrator Alan Davidson, as expected (see 2206020070). Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and other panel Democrats delivered more positive, but not universally complimentary, reviews of NTIA’s work. There was significantly less focus on the agency’s government spectrum coordination role.
The FCC sought comment Tuesday on a December waiver request by proponents of cellular-vehicle-to-everything use of the 5.9 GHz band asking to be able to deploy as soon as possible (see 2112140070). Comment deadlines are to come in a Federal Register notice. The FCC has been under continuing pressure to act on the waiver request (see 2206020050), which was filed by Audi of America, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, the departments of transportation in Utah and Virginia, Aaeon Technology, Harman International Industries, Panasonic North America and other companies. A second notice Tuesday reminded part 90 intelligent transportation system licensees operating in the band that they must cease operations in the 5850-5895 MHz portion of the band July 5. Both notices were by the Public Safety and Wireless bureaus.
The following lawsuits were recently filed at the Court of International Trade: