It’s still too early to regulate quantum technologies through export controls and other means, two tech industry officials said during an event this week hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Although the Commerce Department is studying new export controls on certain slices of quantum technologies, strict regulations risk hurting American competitiveness, the officials said.
The Illinois chapters of the National Emergency Number Association and APCO asked the FCC to issue a formal opinion on whether the use of 911 fees to build and support 988 constitutes fee diversion, said a letter posted Tuesday in docket 20-291. The groups said the state was authorized July 1 to transfer $5 million in 911 fees to 988 but was told transferring the fees to a 988 trust fund "would constitute a diversion of fees" and could disqualify the state from future federal grants. "As funding continues to be an issue for 911 systems nationally, the diversion of 911 fees to support another program directly impacts the ability to build a sustainable National Next Generation 911 network," the groups said, saying it's "likely that a systemic diversion of 911 fees will be used to build and support 988 operations nationally" without clarification.
The Wireless Infrastructure Association tapped Patrick Halley, USTelecom general counsel, as its new president and CEO, replacing Jonathan Adelstein. Halley takes over Aug. 1. He's a veteran of the National Emergency Number Association, the FCC and Wilkinson Barker and is the former executive director of the Next Generation 911 Institute. “Patrick’s broad regulatory, legal and trade association experience in telecommunications makes him the ideal person to lead WIA into the future,” said WIA Chairman Jeffrey Stoops, CEO of SBA Communications, Thursday: “He has deep knowledge of, and experience in, advocacy, which is the primary mission of WIA, and is a proven manager and motivator of his team members.” WIA said Halley was picked following a national search by search firm Odgers Berndtson. Adelstein, a former FCC commissioner, left WIA in June after 10 years at the helm.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel now expects a final estimate of demands for money from the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program to repay U.S. carriers for removing from their networks equipment made by companies deemed a national security risk to be ready on or soon after July 15. The House Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee, meanwhile, advanced by voice vote Thursday its FY 2023 bill with FCC and FTC funding mirroring what President Joe Biden is seeking for the agencies (see 2203280069). The Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee advanced by voice its FY23 bill Thursday with funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency well above what Biden sought.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told an audience at the American Association of Exporters and Importers conference June 15 that his discussion draft of a Customs modernization bill elicited some consternation, but that it was shared because he was trying to figure out "how do we get stakeholders in a good place so that we can have a customs modernization package?"
House Communications Subcommittee leaders said Wednesday they’re eyeing combining the Extending America’s Spectrum Auction Leadership Act (HR-7783) and revised versions of the Simplifying Management, Reallocation and Transfer of Spectrum Act (HR-5486) and Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) before a full Commerce Committee vote. The subpanel unanimously advanced HR-5486, HR-7624, HR-7783 and four other telecom bills Wednesday, as expected (see 2206140077).
The Bureau of Industry and Security hasn’t given up on a rule to clarify how U.S. companies can participate in standards-setting bodies that have members designated on the Entity List, a senior BIS official said this week. Despite yearslong clamoring for the clarification from technology associations and companies, the rule is facing a lengthy internal review process not only from other agencies but also from different bureaus within the Commerce Department, said Hillary Hess, BIS’s regulatory policy director.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told an audience at the American Association of Exporters and Importers conference June 15 that his discussion draft of a Customs modernization bill elicited some consternation, but that it was shared because he was trying to figure out "how do we get stakeholders in a good place so that we can have a customs modernization package?"
The U.S. should create a new multilateral export control regime to counter China’s unfair industrial policies and misuse of sensitive technologies, said Mark Dallas, an associate professor at Union College in New York and a fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations. A new regime would create a “unified, clear and multilateral voice” around export controls and would reduce “commercial tensions” between the U.S. and its allies through better information sharing and enforcement.
For ATSC 3.0 to become a commercial success, broadcasters “have to promote the heck out of it,” CTA CEO Gary Shapiro told the NextGen Broadcast Conference Thursday in Detroit. Shapiro spoke in person on a panel with NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt, who participated via Zoom because, he said, his wife tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday. Shapiro said he tested positive a few weeks ago.