Under omnibus budget proposal submitted in Senate (SA- 1), FCC would receive $275 million, which is $19 million more than proposed in House Commerce, Justice, State (CJS) appropriations measure (HR-247) introduced by Rep. Wolf (R- Va.), CJS Subcommittee chmn. (CD Jan 10 p7). FTC would receive $175 million under the budget proposal, which includes authorization for that agency to assess fees on telemarketers to fund its proposed do-not-call list. Senate bill would give NTIA $14.3 million for salaries and expenses. It also funds public telecom facilities, planning and construction at $43 million. NTIA would be able to award $15.5 million in grants for information infrastructure. Justice Dept. (DoJ) would receive $149 million to help fund conversion to narrowband radio systems. Also, DoJ Interoperable Communications Technology Service, division of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), would receive $100 million to help fund interoperable communications systems. State Dept.’s Bcstg. Board of Governors would receive $431 million, including nearly $25 million for broadcasts to Cuba. National Institute of Standards & Technology would receive $7.8 million for salaries and additional $363 million for research. Commerce Dept.’s Bureau of Industry & Security would receive $100 million and Technology Administration would get $7.8 million in Senate plan. FBI would get $3.9 billion, of which $155 million would be devoted to cyberinvestigations. Bill said up to $65 million could be used for automated data processing and telecom and technical investigation equipment. House bill earmarks $161 million for FBI information technology improvements. U.S. Patent & Trademark Office would receive $1 billion, $250 million less than proposed in House bill.
Revised national security export controls for microprocessors used in mass market cellphones, wireless base stations, personal computers and digital assistants went into effect Jan. 14. Final rule implemented changes in list of dual-use technologies maintained by govts. participating in Wassanaar Arrangement, Commerce Dept.’s Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) said. Removal of export licensing requirements for general purpose microprocessors has become increasingly necessary in light of “continuous, rapid increase in microprocessor capabilities” and incremental modifications needed to keep pace with those changes, BIS said. Those frequent efforts had been deemed necessary “to avoid expending limited export control resources on mass market items,” it said. Remaining in effect are restrictions on exports and re-exports of microprocessors capable of 6,500 million theoretical operations per sec. -- MTOPS -- to terrorist-designated nations. BIS inserted new section in export rules that clarified restrictions and licensing requirements for technologies with military uses. Commerce Dept. said new regulation was “necessary to ensure that U.S. industry can compete on a level playing field in the growing international market for microprocessors, while protecting vital U.S. national security interests.”
Bill to create more unlicensed spectrum for broadband was introduced Tues. by Sens. Boxer (D-Cal.) and Allen (R- Va.), as expected (CD Jan 15 p1). S-159 largely reflects bill they introduced late in 107th Congress, calling for 255 MHz of additional unlicensed spectrum. However, Boxer said that to address concerns of cellular community, spectrum would be limited to the 5 GHz band. Previous bill called for allocation below 6 GHz, which concerned cellular operators below 3 GHz. Allen said 5 GHz designation would “harmonize wireless devices in the United States with the international allocation in countries like Japan, Brazil, Canada and Europe,” adding that band had favorable propagation. Band limitation is significant in that Boxer and Allen both said one aim of bill was to promote Wi-Fi, but what most people consider Wi-Fi, 802.11b, operates at 2.4 GHz. Faster wireless LAN service, 802.11a, operates at 5 GHz but is used primarily by businesses. Boxer said bill also was modified to limit any FCC rules to “ensure robust and efficient use of the spectrum for broadband delivery services.” Both Boxer and Allen touted wireless Internet as way to speed broadband rollout, with Boxer saying that in rural areas, “wireless technologies have the potential to allow communities to use signal repeaters to bring Internet connections to places where wires do not reach, or where the signal over the wire is too weak.” But Allen said Wi-Fi “is only the beginning and this legislation will create an environment where cognitive radios and dynamic frequency selection of technologies can grow and innovate to offer services unimaginable today.” Bill would give NTIA 180 days to consult with agencies such as Dept. of Defense on interference standards, and FCC would have 360 days to adopt “minimal technical and device rules” for unlicensed spectrum. It was referred to Senate Commerce Committee.
Local govts and their national associations are holding briefing for staffs of Senate and House Commerce Committees Jan. 17 as part of effort to commit more resources and leaders to counter telecom industry lobbying and to push what they call “proactive public policy agenda” on Hill. Local govts. formed TeleCommUnity Alliance to focus solely on their agenda on Capitol Hill.
Owing to spread of e-commerce via Internet, Hague Conference working group is expected within next 3-4 weeks to unveil slimmed-down draft treaty aimed at standardizing international laws on jurisdiction and enforcement of foreign judgments in civil cases. Need for harmonization of laws dealing with cross- border disputes has increased with advent of Internet and e- commerce, observers say. Recent noteworthy cross-border litigation includes libel suit brought in Australia against U.S.- based publisher Barrons, and U.S. content industries’ suit in Cal. vs. KaZaA owner Sharman, which is located in Australia and Vanuatu. In contrast to bulky document released in June 2001 -- which proved so controversial that negotiations all but ceased -- revised draft will focus on business-to-business and choice of forum agreements, said Jeffrey Kovar, State Dept. asst. legal adviser-private international law. Experts’ group working to trim current version just completed meeting that was “cordial and business-like,” he said. Panel is making “slow but measurable progress,” he said. Its next meeting is scheduled for end of March. Informal group was created to try to reach common ground on convention.
Key Internet and telecom companies signed on as part of U.S. delegation to next month’s China-U.S. Telecom Summit in Xiamen, China, Telecom Industry Assn. (TIA) said Tues. Delegates are from Agilent, Andrews, Cisco, Intel, Lucent, Motorola, Nortel Networks, Qualcomm, Verizon and others, TIA said. Meeting Feb. 20-22 brings govt. and industry officials together to discuss future of telecom and information technology in China, TIA said. U.S. govt. representatives include: NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory, FCC Comr. Copps, International Trade Administration representatives of Dept. of Commerce, foreign commercial service officers from U.S. Embassy and Consulate in China. China will be represented by, among others, its Minister of Information Industry; dir. gens. in that ministry; and key Chinese telecom operators and equipment manufacturers, TIA said. Topics include broadband and wireless development, information and network security and telecom reform. -- www.tiaonline.org/policy/regional/asia/chinasummit.
“We need to remind the FCC that radio is a public medium and we must ensure it serves the public good,” Sen. Feingold (D-Wis.) said Tues. Addressing Future of Music Conference Tues., he vowed soon to re-introduce legislation to place restrictions on broadcast consolidation and prevent FCC from adopting rules that would permit too much consolidation.
USTA praised President Bush for eliminating double taxation on dividends in his new economic stimulus package and for his proposal to repeal inheritance ("death") tax. USTA Pres. Walter McCormick also took opportunity to call for deregulation, saying “the telecom industry continues to be hobbled by outdated regulations that stifle capital investment.” Commerce Dept. Undersecy. Phil Bond called stimulus proposal “a growth package that will ultimately re- ignite the technology sector.” Bond, also head of Technology Administration, said small business provision would be “the greatest source of job growth and greatest potential for technology increases.” He also said speeding up 2001 tax cuts would help with job creation and dividend tax elimination would also create jobs. “The technology community will continue to play a leading role in our economic recovery” as result of this proposal, he said. Bush’s plan was endorsed by key members of Congress. However, incoming Senate Finance Committee Chmn. Grassley (R- Ia.) didn’t offer ringing endorsement, saying only that he liked it better than Democrats’ plan. House Financial Services Committee Chmn. Oxley (R-O.) praised it but referred to it not as stimulus package but “a common sense approach to correct inequities in tax policy which discourage investment.”
Broadband, wireless and govt. regulation continue to take more prominent role at Consumer Electronics Show (CES), scheduled for Jan.8-12 at Las Vegas Convention Center. Organizer, CEA, is predicting about 100 federal and state govt. officials will attend or speak at convention, making it what it says will be largest govt. contingent ever to attend nongovt. trade show.
Broadband, wireless and govt. regulation will continue to take more prominent role at CES Jan. 8-12 at Las Vegas Convention Center. Organizer, CEA, is predicting about 100 federal and state govt. officials will attend or speak at convention, making it what it says will be largest govt. contingent ever to attend nongovt. trade show. Digital rights management, HDTV and other consumer technologies remain important.