The Chinese government has “increasingly pursued policies” to obstruct U.S. industry access to the Chinese information and communications technology (ICT) sector over the past nine months, said 19 associations in a recent letter to President Barack Obama. BSA | The Software Alliance, CEA, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Information Technology Industry Council, Semiconductor Industry Association, Telecommunications Industry Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others urged Obama to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping to ease those barriers during a bilateral September summit in Washington. Chinese national security policy, as well as other motivations, have led to “a new program to acquire or indigenize U.S. semiconductor technology,” “new restrictions on cross-border data flows” and several other restrictive measures, said the Aug. 11 letter. “The United States and China should reaffirm their commitment to open markets, particularly in the ICT sector, recognizing the significant benefits that both countries enjoy from integration into global ICT industry value chains.” The groups want other ways to strengthen cooperation among the two countries. The letter said China adopted the restrictive measures since Jinping's last visit to Washington in November 2014.

Businesses regulated by the Wireless Bureau are being undercharged by $26.6 million for regulatory costs, and the FCC needs to fix the problem before finalizing FY 2015 fees, NAB and the Satellite Industry Association said in an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in FCC docket 15-121. The problem is that auction-funded full-time employees (FTEs) are not counted in apportioning those FTEs, resulting in entities regulated by the International, Media and Wireless bureaus subsidizing costs that should be charged to wireless licensees, NAB and SIA said. "The impact on the fees ultimately paid is substantial." SIA previously argued its case individually, with CTIA objecting as it argued the wireless industry pays more than its fair share (see 1507060063). "The data relied on by CTIA clearly prove that [Wireless Bureau-regulated] entities are being under-assessed for regulatory fees," NAB and SIA said. "Auction revenues fund less than one indirect FTE for each [Wireless Bureau] FTE [though] the actual indirect-to-direct FTE ratio for the commission as a whole is much higher." According to NAB and SIA math, entities regulated by the International Bureau should pay $19.2 million, $2.1 million less than proposed; Media Bureau entities should pay $106.5 million, down $11.6 million; Wireline Bureau entities should pay $118.2 million, $12.9 million less; and Wireless Bureau entities should pay $95.9 million, instead of $69.3 million. “Through regulatory fees and spectrum auction proceeds, the wireless industry accounts for more than 36 perc ent of the FCC’s total 2015 budget, which is more than any other industry segment," CTIA Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Scott Bergmann said in an email Tuesday. "CTIA continues to support the Commission’s efforts to ensure that regulatory fees appropriately reflect the work conducted by agency staff. That’s why we urge the FCC to reject any proposals that target regulatees of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau for a disproportionate share of regulatory fees.”

OneWeb joined the Satellite Industry Association, SIA said in a Thursday news release. OneWeb earlier this year announced plans to launch 648 Ku-band low Earth orbit satellites, which would tie into Intelsat's geosynchronous satellite constellation and create a satellite-provided broadband network expected to go live in 2019 (see 1506260025).

A bicameral group of legislators will lead the Congressional Semiconductor Caucus, launched Tuesday at an event on Capitol Hill, said a news release from the office of Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho. Risch, along with Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Reps. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., will co-chair the caucus. Representatives from the Semiconductor Industry Association attended the launch event, and in a Wednesday news release, SIA praised the formation of the caucus. It "will provide a venue for members of Congress and industry professionals to share ideas and work collaboratively to advance policies that preserve and strengthen the semiconductor industry," said SIA CEO John Neuffer.

A bicameral group of legislators will lead the Congressional Semiconductor Caucus, launched Tuesday at an event on Capitol Hill, said a news release from the office of Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho. Risch, along with Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Reps. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., will co-chair the caucus. Representatives from the Semiconductor Industry Association attended the launch event, and in a Wednesday news release, SIA praised the formation of the caucus. It "will provide a venue for members of Congress and industry professionals to share ideas and work collaboratively to advance policies that preserve and strengthen the semiconductor industry," said SIA CEO John Neuffer.

A bicameral group of legislators will lead the Congressional Semiconductor Caucus, launched Tuesday at an event on Capitol Hill, said a news release from the office of Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho. Risch, along with Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Reps. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., will co-chair the caucus. Representatives from the Semiconductor Industry Association attended the launch event, and in a Wednesday news release, SIA praised the formation of the caucus. It "will provide a venue for members of Congress and industry professionals to share ideas and work collaboratively to advance policies that preserve and strengthen the semiconductor industry," said SIA CEO John Neuffer.

The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council objected to a proposal that some interference disputes be resolved by the FCC Office of Administrative Law Judges. “NPSTC does not view the process proposed in this petition to be of any significant benefit in resolving interference to public safety or possibly to other categories of licensees as well,” said NPSTC, which represents numerous public safety entities. AT&T said the Enforcement Bureau is the more appropriate entity for resolving spectrum disputes. Other commenters also questioned the viability of the proposal.

Satellite operators oppose an FCC proposal to charge them a 12-cent-per-subscriber regulatory fee (see 1505290033), and are concerned about what may come next, said DirecTV, Dish Network, EchoStar and Hughes Network in comments on the commission’s regulatory fee NPRM posted in docket 15-121 Tuesday. “There is no limiting principle that would stop the Commission from doubling or tripling the rate next year,” said Dish, saying such an outcome wouldn't be legal or in the public interest, and would negatively affect DBS subscribers.

Industry stakeholders universally praised the FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) report on communications sector cybersecurity risk management for recommending voluntary processes and assurances, with Motorola Solutions saying in comments posted Monday that those recommendations “strike an appropriate balance” between assuring cybersecurity protection and reflecting the interests of all stakeholders. The CSRIC report, adopted in March, was meant to adapt the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework for communications sector use (see 1503180056). Industry groups CTIA and TIA similarly praised the CSRIC report for providing important guidance to the sector (see 1505290042). A separate Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) proceeding (see 1504090049 and 1503160059) on possible cybersecurity topics the IPTF should address through multistakeholder work drew multiple filings urging the IPTF to factor the NIST framework into its process.

Industry stakeholders universally praised the FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) report on communications sector cybersecurity risk management for recommending voluntary processes and assurances, with Motorola Solutions saying in comments posted Monday that those recommendations “strike an appropriate balance” between assuring cybersecurity protection and reflecting the interests of all stakeholders. The CSRIC report, adopted in March, was meant to adapt the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework for communications sector use (see 1503180056). Industry groups CTIA and TIA similarly praised the CSRIC report for providing important guidance to the sector (see 1505290042). A separate Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) proceeding (see 1504090049 and 1503160059) on possible cybersecurity topics the IPTF should address through multistakeholder work drew multiple filings urging the IPTF to factor the NIST framework into its process.