SAN FRANCISCO -- A three-judge panel for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals questioned during oral argument Thursday whether antitrust law, not patent law, is best to address Qualcomm’s potential violations related to chip licensing (see 2002120059). One judge appeared to dismiss DOJ’s argument that FTC antitrust enforcement against Qualcomm would threaten national security.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told reporters Thursday he reached a deal to allow the chamber to pass the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998) by unanimous consent (UC) after the upcoming Presidents Day recess. The House-passed bill would allocate at least $1 billion to help U.S. communications providers remove from their networks Chinese equipment determined to threaten national security. Meanwhile, Huawei faces 16 DOJ charges it violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and stole trade secrets from six U.S. companies (see 2002130030).
The FCC Wireless Bureau is meeting with industry on what to ask in an NPRM for its rural 5G fund, according to interviews this week and recent filings. The agency announced the $9 billion USF program in December to replace its Mobility Fund Phase II (see 1912040027).
Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman John Kennedy, R-La., told reporters Thursday he plans to again meet with or talk to President Donald Trump to express his renewed ire about the FCC’s direction in planning an auction of the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band. Kennedy railed against FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s current C-band auction plan during a Senate floor speech, criticizing the proposal to allocate about $15 billion of sale proceeds for relocation and incentive payments to incumbents on the frequency (see 2002060057). Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said she's supporting Kennedy’s C-band centric Spectrum Management And Reallocation for Taxpayers (Smart) Act (S-3246).
FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’s planned Puerto Rico field hearing on disaster preparation and response in Puerto Rico is a chance to draw attention to issues on the island, but the short lead time between the event’s announcement Thursday and its Feb. 21 date have caught some stakeholders by surprise, they told us (see 2002130012). “We’re playing catch-up to this announcement,” said Reuben Jusino, who consults on FCC matters for the Puerto Rico Radio Broadcasters Association. “We’re trying to get a turn at the table,” he said. “It’s an important opportunity.”
As the list of marquee exhibitors and participants bowing out of MWC 2020 continued to pile up from coronavirus fears, GSMA pulled the plug Wednesday on the mobile industry’s spring launch event in Barcelona (see 2002120041). The show was to have opened Feb. 24 for a four-day run.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Government and Qualcomm officials will argue Thursday in federal court in a case with implications for 5G technology, FTC antitrust authority and the tech industry (see 1910100017). Qualcomm said the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit threatens national security because of the impact on U.S. companies competing with China for 5G technology dominance. DOJ sided with Qualcomm, while rival Intel and automakers backed the commission (see 1912020029).
A White House directive on a non-satellite backup of GPS positioning, navigation and timing services could affect plans for that terrestrial version, or at least muddy a related issue, PNT experts told us. White House officials told reporters, on condition they not be identified, about the PNT executive order issued Wednesday. It said the Department of Transportation is testing 11 commercial terrestrial backup technologies for GPS. Testing's to be completed by May and a recommendation for a backup system issued by year's end.
“Four hours is not enough” for battery backup at wireless cellsites, since last year’s public safety power shutoffs lasted two to eight days, California Public Utilities Commission member Genevieve Shiroma said Wednesday. CPUC is looking into the issue, she replied to our question on a resiliency panel at the NARUC winter meeting. For the state commission, “the wildfire emergency has really put an exclamation point on the importance of communications and broadband during an emergency,” said former FCC and CPUC Commissioner Rachelle Chong in an interview.
The space economy is growing rapidly, but that means increased potential problems with orbital debris and the need for space traffic management (STM), speakers said at a Space Foundation event Tuesday. Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Okla., co-chairwoman of the House Space Power Caucus, said with looming satellite mega constellations, there's a need to "set some lanes" for STM.