huawei battles fcc in court over security threat charge
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Huawei Battles FCC in Court Over Security Threat Charge
Huawei filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging a year-old decision by the FCC when itdesignated the Chinese-based company and ZTE as national security threats. Then-FCCChairman Ajit Pai said there was an “overwhelming weight of evidence,” that provedreportedly close ties to China’s government. That relationship, Pai said, also required thecompany to cooperate with the country’s spy agencies. Huawei has been fighting U.S.sanctions and others ever since, according to the Wall Street Journal, and is making aneffort to “claw back” restrictions imposed by former President Donald Trump.
The suit alleges the FCC overstepped its authority with an "arbitrary, capricious abuse of discretion not supported bysubstantial evidence" when it issued the judgement. The Commission order prevented U.S. telecoms from accessingthe agency's Universal Service Fund to buy networking equipment or technology from Huawei. Continue Reading
“Internet For All” Act in the WorksBy Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau ChiefHouse Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) says he plans to reintroduce the Accessible, Affordable Internet forAll Act, “hopefully within the next couple of weeks.” He said during an INCOMPAS Policy Summit yesterday, he’stalking with everybody he thinks he should speak with, including the White House, to try and get the measure thatwould devote $100 billion to broadband investment included in any infrastructure package. (As for the potential timingof such a package, see related story below.) INCOMPAS is the internet and competitive networks association.
“I sincerely believe we’ve got to treat the information highway the same as an interstate highway,” said Clyburn.INCOMPAS members Crown Castle and Granite Telecommunications pledged to work with Clyburn and Sen. JerryMoran (R-KS) to bring broadband to rural America. They spoke during a session entitled: “Internet for All.” ContinueReading Telesat Puts $3 Billion Toward Building 300-Satellite LEO Fleet By 2024Canada’s Telesat announced it has entered into a $3 billion deal with European manufacturer Thales Alenia Space tobuild a fleet of nearly 300 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The Ottawa Business Journal reported that the projectpaves the way for Telesat “to deliver high-speed internet to the farthest reaches of the globe.”
“Demand for broadband connectivity is surging around the world,” Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg announced during avirtual news conference on Tuesday. “We needed to bring a network to the market that was much more capable tomeet our customers’ requirements.” Continue Reading
WyomingMisdirected 911 Calls Add Stress to EmergenciesRecently, Clairey Grubbs, who lives in Lincoln County, WY, had a harrowing experience, made worse by an unreliable911 connection. The Jackson Hole News & Guide reported that Grubbs smelled smoke in her home and called 911,only to be told she had reached the wrong dispatch center. The dispatcher tried to connect her to the right center forher county, and she was disconnected. Grubbs frantically searched for the local fire department’s number on Googleand reached the captain, who dispatched a crew who found a blocked stove pipe and secured the scene.
Luckily, neither Grubbs nor her home suffered any damage, but after sharing her story on a local Facebook page, sherealized that her experience was not an isolated incident. According to Lincoln County Dispatch Supervisor MaryanneChristensen, what Grubbs experienced happens so often that there’s a name for it. “We call them cell skips,” shesaid. “It’s when a 911 call skips to the wrong tower.” Continue Reading
Infrastructure Bill This Spring? House Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) told INCOMPAS attendees this week members planto mark up a COVID relief bill Thursday. Lawmakers may fold in provisions aimed at directing more funds to theFCC’s E-Rate program, which helps connect schools and libraries. (See related story above.)
“We’re going to, hopefully, address E-Rate,” he told attendees, Politico reported. The committee’s top priority, really, isto combat and crush the virus.”
Also on his wish list is tackling universal broadband for all Americans. That’s likely the topic of a forthcominginfrastructure package, according to the lawmaker. Pallone said the committee would likely mark up infrastructurelegislation in April or May.
February 10, 2021 at Close
Valmont Industries Announces Q4 and 2020 Annual Earnings February 18 Valmont Industries, Inc. (NYSE: VMI), a global provider of engineered products and services for infrastructure, willhost its fourth quarter and full year 2020 earnings conference call on Thursday, February 18, 2021, beginning at 8:00a.m. CST. Zacks Equity Research said it expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues.
A news release outlining fourth quarter and full year financial results will be distributed after market close onWednesday, February 17, 2021. A live audio discussion with Stephen G. Kaniewski, President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer, and Avner M. Applbaum, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will be accessible bytelephone on Thursday, February 18, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. CST by dialing 1-877-407-6184 or 1-201-389-0877, or viawebcast here.
Live Webinar: Introduction to HF, Modulation and PropagationOn Wednesday February 17, 2021, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.(CST), Rohde & Schwarzis offering a complimentary webinar on modulation and propagation. Thispresentation covers two aspects of HF (high frequency) communications: themodulation types most commonly used for HF communications and thefundamentals of HF propagation.
Modulation types include both double-sideband AM and single-sideband as well asnarrowband FM. For digital modes, the use of amplitude shift keying (ASK) and frequency shift keying (FSK) are alsodiscussed.
The propagation session starts with a general introduction to HF and the main HF propagation modes (directwave/line of sight, ground or surface wave, and skywave). Since skywave is the most unique and widely used HFpropagation mode, in-depth discussions about the ionosphere will be presented.
Featured Speaker is Paul Denisowski, Rohde & Schwarz, and the session is sponsored by the Twin Cities IEEE MTT-S Chapter. To register, click here.
Turnkey Safety Solutions Offers NWSA PEAP Workshop
When the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) was awarded accreditation by the ANSI National AccreditationBoard (ANAB) in June of 2020 for its Tower Technician Training programs, then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai lauded it as"critical to deploying wireless networks safely and efficiently.” As training starts to ramp up, some areas areunderserved with qualified venues.
With 33 test sites around the country, most concentrated in the western region, only a handful of locations are offeringtraining along the eastern seaboard. Turnkey Safety Solutions, is one of those few and is hosting a NWSA PEAPWorkshop, March 30-April 1, 2021. Located in Denville, NJ, it is the only known exam site between Massachusettsand North Carolina.
The vet-owned facility, founded and operated by James Weiss, has expanded its indoor training facility toaccommodate the anticipated glut of trainees. Weiss said they now have two towers to help deliver the PracticalExam Test. NWSA-certified personnel who have been trained and authorized by NWSA will administer theprograms. Continue Reading
Kompass Funding: Directing Your Company to Cash Flow and Capital
Underwriting standards at banks have tightened up during COVID-19 and a traditional loan may not be an option forwireless infrastructure companies looking for funding. Kompass Funding offers several alternatives to help companiesincrease cash flow and grow their businesses.
The private financial institution provides clients with the capital, “they need to achieve their dreams,” says JohnMinnis, CEO and Managing Partner. Kompass’ objective is to “empower growth-oriented companies by bridging thefinancial gap from where they are today, to where they need to go.”
Kompass takes a holistic approach, offering four, specialized services. The first is factoring, or invoice financing.Kompass purchases a company’s accounts receivables for a discount (a small fee), to provide instant funding.
The second option, reverse factoring, is similar, except that Kompass is purchasing accounts payable from a vendor,to pay their clients faster.
The third alternative is niche financing, which works like a traditional bank loan, although private funds are used.Continue Reading
Mississippi House Backs Two Bills for Broadband Two Mississippi House Bills promoting broadband have met with almost universal support, reports SCT Online. Witha 120-1 vote, legislators approved House Bill 942, which would allow Entergy and Mississippi Power to leasebroadband delivery infrastructure to other providers. The second House Bill, HB 505, would allow the Public UtilitiesStaff of the Public Service commission to administer newly created broadband accessibility grants.
“I think this is good broadband policy,” said Representative Scott Bounds, the bills' author, commenting on HB 942.“This fiber is used for communication from substation to headquarters, things like that. In this capacity, they haveunused fiber capacity which we all know is the standard for speed and reliability in broadband transmission. I knowthey have lessors that are chomping at the bit to do it [lease their unused fiber capacity].” Continue Reading
Broadcast Transmitter Manufacturer Nautel Acquires DigidiaRadio transmitter manufacturer Nautel yesterday said it acquired France-based technologycompany Digidia. Nautel says the addition expands its digital radio offerings and enhancesits high-power electronics design and digital signal processing.
“Nautel has long demonstrated its passion for digital radio with its leadership in HD Radiotransmission solutions,” said Nautel President/CEO Kevin Rodgers. “With the addition of
Digidia’s design capabilities, DAB+ and DRM solutions, Nautel is underlining its commitment to all major digital radiotransmission standards. By adding Digidia’s offerings together with Nautel’s existing transmission products we will beable to better serve an even larger base of customers worldwide.”
Former shareholders Hermann Zensen, Manuel Billot and Damien Bernard will remain as executives for the twocompanies. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Nebraska Preps for Speed Test
As part of a statewide broadband mapping initiative, the Nebraska Regional Officials Council has requested theparticipation of all its residents, reports the North Platte Telegraph. Nebraska is planning to conduct a speed test tomeasure and map broadband response times. Each free test will require approximately a minute of the participant'stime. Nebraskans can connect here at speedtestne.org.
“I would like to encourage Nebraskans to participate in this initiative,” stated Ed Toner, CIO for the state of Nebraskaand chairman of the Rural Broadband Task Force. “Speed test data can help identify areas which lack broadband sostrategies and funding to connect these areas can be identified." Continue Reading
Symphony Wireless Names Neil Notkin Senior VP of OriginationsSymphony Wireless, an affiliate of Melody Investment Advisors, yesterday announced the appointment of businessdevelopment executive Neil Notkin as Senior Vice President of Originations. His accomplishments include thesourcing and development of right-of-way corridors representing over 5,000 miles and 14,000 leases with fundingprovided by Columbia Capital and Barings. In addition, Notkin managed and built teams that invested more than $1.2billion and acquired a network of more than 5,000 cell sites and over 7,000 carrier leases.
"I have known Neil professionally for nearly 15 years,” said Jorge Pedraza, President of Symphony Wireless andOperating Partner at Melody Investment Advisors. “We worked together for ten years growing and defining the cellsite easement industry into what it has become today; I know firsthand the talents he brings to building teams,running operations, and acquiring assets. I look forward to working with Neil again and am confident that he will helpus to continue to grow Symphony Wireless by enhancing our origination and business development operations."Pedraza said.
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