Amazon's Kuiper Systems subsidiary is Satellite Industry Association's latest executive member, SIA announced Monday. Kuiper has a non-geostationary orbit constellation application pending at the FCC (see 1907310005).

Different sides offered the FCC conflicting readings of initial comments on alternative plans for opening the C band for 5G. Those comments showed little move toward consensus (see 1908080041) on how the regulator should address the band, which has emerged as a top commission spectrum priority. The FCC sought input on a proposal by America’s Communications Association, the Competitive Carriers Association and Charter Communications and a study by Jeff Reed of Virginia Tech and Reed Engineering on sharing the band with fixed point-to-multipoint (P2MP) operations (see 1907020061). The regulator also asked about an AT&T letter raising technical and band plan issues. Replies posted through Thursday in docket 18-122.

Satcom ground equipment company Comtech EF Data joined the Satellite Industry Association, the association said Monday.

Parties in proposed reallocation of some C band for 5G said each of their plans is the only one that makes sense, in docket 18-122 comments posted Friday. The Wireless and International bureaus and offices of Engineering and Technology and of Economics and Analytics said in a public notice Friday they were seeking comment on the band-clearing plans put forward by AT&T; America's Communications Association, the CCA and Charter Communications; and the Wireless ISP Association, Google and Microsoft. Comments are due Aug. 7 and replies Aug. 14.

Proposed FY 2019 regulatory fee increases of 25 percent for geostationary satellites, 26 percent for non-geostationary and 31 percent for earth stations would be unduly burdensome, the Satellite Industry Association said in an FCC docket 19-105 posting Tuesday. In a call with International Bureau staff, it asked for the rationale for the fee hikes and that increases of such magnitude be phased in.

About three of four smartphones imported to the U.S. come from China, and those would rise in cost by 22 percent under U.S.-proposed fourth tranche 25 percent duties, said a study for CTA, posted Tuesday in docket USTR-2019-0004. Tariffs would generate a 14 percent cost increase in phones shipped to the U.S. from all countries, it told the U.S. trade representative. The average phone retail price would rise about $70, it said. U.S. consumers will be “forced to reduce overall purchases by 28 percent,” it said. Tariffs on Chinese laptops and tablets imported to the U.S. under Harmonized Tariff Schedule’s 8471.30.01 subheading would raise pricing by 19 percent, said the study. It estimates the retail price of the average laptop would rise $120. Tariffs on videogame consoles imported from China would seriously harm U.S. consumers, said Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Interactive Entertainment in rare joint comments by the rivals for the removing HTS 9504.50.00 goods from List 4. In 2018, more than 96 percent of the consoles imported to the U.S. came from China, they said. “It would cause significant supply chain disruption to shift sourcing entirely to the United States or a third country, and it would increase costs -- even beyond the cost of the proposed tariffs -- on products that are already manufactured under tight margin conditions.” Proposed penalties on semiconductors and the IT industry “will harm America’s tech companies, and are an ill-equipped tool” to curb China’s “problematic” trade practices, said the Semiconductor Industry Association. The administration’s previous tariffs “encompass nearly the entire semiconductor supply chain,” said SIA. The proposed List 4 tariffs “now threaten virtually all information technology products -- and purchasers of semiconductors -- including key consumer products,” it said. Also, Tuesday was Day II of USTR hearings on proposed List 4 duties, which will stretch to June 25 (see 1906180030).

About three of four smartphones imported to the U.S. come from China, and those would rise in cost by 22 percent under U.S.-proposed fourth tranche 25 percent duties, said a study for CTA, posted Tuesday in docket USTR-2019-0004. Tariffs would generate a 14 percent cost increase in phones shipped to the U.S. from all countries, it told the U.S. trade representative. The average phone retail price would rise about $70, it said. U.S. consumers will be “forced to reduce overall purchases by 28 percent,” it said. Tariffs on Chinese laptops and tablets imported to the U.S. under Harmonized Tariff Schedule’s 8471.30.01 subheading would raise pricing by 19 percent, said the study. It estimates the retail price of the average laptop would rise $120. Tariffs on videogame consoles imported from China would seriously harm U.S. consumers, said Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Interactive Entertainment in rare joint comments by the rivals for the removing HTS 9504.50.00 goods from List 4. In 2018, more than 96 percent of the consoles imported to the U.S. came from China, they said. “It would cause significant supply chain disruption to shift sourcing entirely to the United States or a third country, and it would increase costs -- even beyond the cost of the proposed tariffs -- on products that are already manufactured under tight margin conditions.” Proposed penalties on semiconductors and the IT industry “will harm America’s tech companies, and are an ill-equipped tool” to curb China’s “problematic” trade practices, said the Semiconductor Industry Association. The administration’s previous tariffs “encompass nearly the entire semiconductor supply chain,” said SIA. The proposed List 4 tariffs “now threaten virtually all information technology products -- and purchasers of semiconductors -- including key consumer products,” it said. Also, Tuesday was Day II of USTR hearings on proposed List 4 duties, which will stretch to June 25 (see 1906180030).

The Consumer Technology Association “urges the administration to quickly implement a broader and more effective exclusion process for List 4” than it did for lists 1 and 2, it said in comments posted in docket USTR-2019-0004. “Unlike the product exclusion process for the first two tranches of tariffs,” which required applicants to submit requests by a hard deadline, “circumstances warrant” installing a process for List 4 that works “on a rolling basis,” it said.

If the Trump administration makes good its threat to impose the List 4 Section 301 tariffs, “no matter the level,” it should “immediately establish a product exclusion process" for the goods affected, commented CTA, posted Tuesday in docket USTR-2019-0004. “Adequate, well-reasoned, and prompt review of exclusion requests is particularly important for the proposed tariffs on List 4 because the proposed list is almost entirely comprised of products that will have a substantial and direct impact on U.S. consumers.”

The U.S. temporary general license after it added Huawei to its entity list was “almost no relief” for America's semiconductor industry, which has been hurt severely by the move, said Semiconductor Industry Association CEO John Neuffer. At a Washington International Trade Association discussion last week, Neuffer underscored the importance of the Chinese market to U.S. semiconductor exporters and said the Trump administration should more tactfully negotiate with China. “We would like the U.S. government to better balance its national security concerns with its economic security concerns,” Neuffer said. He said there's an inaccurate perception chipmakers were aided by the Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security's temporary move (see 1905290036). “It leaves a major hole for us,” Neuffer said, noting Huawei is one of the “world’s biggest” telecom gear and cellphone providers. “There’s basically no reprieve.” If China’s expected June 1 tariff increase affects U.S. consumer goods including computers and cellphones, which had previously been kept off the tariff lists, Neuffer said his industry will suffer significant losses, partly because China is a large portion of that industry's export market. “Because they are our customers,” Neuffer said, “we will get hit and so will the American consumer.” Neuffer said any U.S.-China decoupling is a “folly,” and the Trump administration’s desire to bring all U.S. supply chains back to the U.S. is “not realistic.” The White House didn't comment Friday.