Discussions within the Commerce Department to expand U.S. export control jurisdiction over foreign exports to Huawei would have a chilling effect on the U.S. semiconductor industry, said Semiconductor Industry Association President John Neuffer. Current U.S. export restrictions on Huawei are already hurting the industry’s ability to sell to China, said Neuffer during an Information and Technology Innovation Foundation workshop Tuesday. China is about 35 percent of U.S. semiconductor sales, and more restrictions would further alienate Chinese customers who are weary of being added to Commerce’s Entity List, he said: “Some of them are afraid they’re next.” Neuffer said the semiconductor industry remains uncertain about the U.S. approach toward Huawei and China. He warned the Trump administration against further revisions to the U.S. export control system. “We think that’s not necessary,” Neuffer said, adding the U.S. shouldn’t place controls on nonsensitive products with no national security nexus, such as smartphone chips. “There have been some confused waters for us in terms of understanding exactly what the U.S. government intends on doing with Huawei and the China market generally,” Neuffer said.
Discussions within the Commerce Department to expand U.S. export control jurisdiction over foreign exports to Huawei and beyond would have a chilling effect on the U.S. semiconductor industry, said John Neuffer, president of the Semiconductor Industry Association. Neuffer said current U.S. export restrictions on Huawei are already hurting the industry’s ability to sell to China -- which represents about 35% of U.S. semiconductor sales -- and more restrictions would further alienate Chinese customers who are weary of being added to Commerce’s Entity List. “Some of them are afraid they’re next,” Neuffer said during a Feb. 18 panel hosted by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
The Satellite Industry Association named Kirsten Shumway of Boeing chair of its export control working group, it said in a press release. SIA also named as its treasurer Ross Vincenti, who oversees “legal matters along with export and trade compliance” at Intelsat.
China agreed to purchase a range of U.S. goods as part of the phase one deal signed Jan. 15, totaling about $200 billion worth of U.S. goods and services over the next two years. The deal covers a long list of agricultural products -- including pork, beef, processed meats, dairy and seafood -- along with increased Chinese imports of U.S. rice, energy products and $120 billion in purchases of U.S. manufactured goods this year.
Global semiconductor sales were $36.6 billion in October, a 2.9 percent increase sequentially from September but down 13.1 percent from October 2018, reported the Semiconductor Industry Association Tuesday. It’s projecting 2019 sales will decrease 12.8 percent before rising 5.9 percent in 2020 and 6.3 percent in 2021. Though the market “slumped somewhat” in 2019, “the recent trend is more positive, with month-to-month sales increasing in October for the fourth consecutive month,” said SIA.
Global semiconductor sales were $36.6 billion in October, a 2.9 percent increase sequentially from September but down 13.1 percent from October 2018, reported the Semiconductor Industry Association Tuesday. It’s projecting 2019 sales will decrease 12.8 percent before rising 5.9 percent in 2020 and 6.3 percent in 2021. Though the market “slumped somewhat” in 2019, “the recent trend is more positive, with month-to-month sales increasing in October for the fourth consecutive month,” said SIA.
Global semiconductor sales were $36.6 billion in October, a 2.9 percent increase sequentially from September but down 13.1 percent from October 2018, reported the Semiconductor Industry Association Tuesday. It’s projecting 2019 sales will decrease 12.8 percent before rising 5.9 percent in 2020 and 6.3 percent in 2021. Though the market “slumped somewhat” in 2019, “the recent trend is more positive, with month-to-month sales increasing in October for the fourth consecutive month,” said SIA.
The satellite industry was able to "contain the persistent encroachments" on spectrum allocated to satellite as well as get more flexibility and new allocations at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference, said the Global Satellite Coalition, which includes the Satellite Industry Association. GSC said the WRC-19 action on earth stations in motion (ESIM) in the Ka band "unmistakably answers the need for more flexibility in the use of existing spectrum allocations to address increased demand for connectivity." The protection of C-band downlinks in Asia and Africa ensures protection of services there, it said. Setting up a regulatory framework for non-geostationary satellites to operate in the Q and V bands, the allocation of 1 GHz of spectrum for fixed satellite service in the 51.4-52.4 GHz band for feeder links, and allocation of spectrum for high altitude platform stations and international mobile telecom also were key, the consortium said. It said agenda items for 2023 including ESIM communicating with geostationary satellite networks in Ku band and NGSO satellite systems in Ka band, and technical considerations for space-to-space links were good news. It said SIA member AT&T didn't support all GSC's views. WRC-19 wrapped up Friday (see 1911220014).
The 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference accomplishments include providing additional bands for international mobile telecom and high-altitude platform systems, expanded coverage by global maritime distress and safety systems (GMDSS), and teeing up issues to be looked at in 2023 including high-altitude international mobile telecom (IMT) base stations (HIBS). That's according to WRC-19 and industry officials Friday as WRC-19 in Egypt ended.
The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security finalized some interagency reviews of Huawei license applications and will begin issuing approvals and denials on a “rolling basis,” said Matt Borman, Commerce deputy assistant secretary-export administration. Secretary Wilbur Ross said the department will "send out the 20-day intent-to-deny letters and some approvals” for U.S. companies to export some things to the Chinese telecom gearmaker. Ross said Commerce got about 290 “requests for specific licenses.” BIS plans to approve at least “several” licenses while denying others, a Commerce spokesperson told us after Borman spoke at the agency's Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee meeting Wednesday. The Semiconductor Industry Association welcomes approvals for licenses that aren't national security threats. “Sales of these non-sensitive commercial products help ensure the competitiveness of the U.S. semiconductor industry, which is essential to national security,” said SIA President John Neuffer.