That U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports take effect Monday gives potential challengers, including from the tech and telecom industry, little time to weigh a court challenge blocking the duties before they take effect. The quick turnaround, published in a notice U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released Monday (see 1809170053), bore out CTA member companies’ worries the Trump administration would release its order imposing the tariffs soon after the comment period expired Sept. 6. The new tariffs "run afoul of the carefully tailored provisions” of the 1974 Trade Act, “which require any action to be within the scope [an] investigation," said CTA President Gary Shapiro Monday.
Net neutrality lobbying of California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is heating up. Capitol Hill Democrats seek enactment and industry urge veto of a state bill that flies in the face of the FCC’s December order rescinding 2015 rules. Brown kept mum Tuesday on SB-822, his usual practice with bills pending his signature; he has until midnight on Sept. 30 to decide. Chairman Ajit Pai Friday said the bill passed last month by the California legislature is illegal (see 1809140046).
Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chris Coons, D-Del., crafted another last-minute compromise on music copyright legislation that could clear the way for fast-track unanimous consent consideration (see 1809170050). They will introduce a bill to be included in the final version of the Music Modernization Act, replacing the Classics Act portion Wyden opposed. That's according to documents we obtained.
The FCC’s pending wireless infrastructure order won't face problems in court after its expected approval next week, Commissioner Brendan Carr said at an ACT/The App Association event Tuesday. Carr said the order’s focus on aesthetics and allowing mayors and other local officials to ensure small cells and other infrastructure are pleasing to the eye has gone a long way toward limiting local opposition (see 1809040056). Local groups disagree.
Expect a request to “hotline” Senate music copyright legislation this week in an effort to allow unanimous consent consideration on the floor, industry representatives told us Monday. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told us he supports hotlining his Music Modernization Act (see 1808170046).
ISPs seeking pole attachment expanded calls for the Maine Public Utilities Commission to adopt the FCC rate formula, after Consolidated Communications and other pole owners reported they would have to charge much less using the federal method. Maine reverse pre-empted the FCC. Now, the PUC is weighing adopting in docket 2018-00010 the FCC newer method for setting rates (see 1807240019). Consolidated wants the PUC to keep Maine’s Chapter 880 formula allowing higher rates, even though it actually sets rates by private contract like other pole owners there.
The deadline for C-band earth station registration is 30 days away and the broadcast industry and satellite operators are urging earth station operators to register with the FCC, even as it's unclear what ramifications might be for those who don't. Some broadcasters -- blanching at the $435-per-earth station registration expense -- decided they won't register "and will just roll with it and hope for the best," Society of Broadcast Engineers President Jim Leifer told us. The FCC didn't comment.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the FCC, Monday delayed a nationwide test of the emergency alert system and wireless emergency alert system until Oct. 3. The test was scheduled for Thursday but postponement was expected (see 1809140040) because of Hurricane Florence (see 1809170046) related problems. The WEA test is expected to get the most attention because this is the first time that system will be tested nationwide.
The FCC is considering delaying Thursday's first national test of wireless emergency alerts, followed by an emergency alert system test, because of Hurricane Florence, wireless industry officials said Friday as the storm was hitting. The agency granted some telecom leeway during the storm, and also released its first outage report.
Sprint CEO Michel Combes confirmed Friday that his company and T-Mobile have launched an “integration office” as they await what they hope will be regulatory approval of their deal (see 1809120017). The companies plan to be “ready on day one” when the transaction closes, Combes said at a Goldman Sachs conference. He stressed the importance of Sprint’s massive 2.5 GHz holdings to the company’s future.