Small Internet service providers are "stunned" that the Federal Communications Commission is enforcing a ban on Huawei and ZTE network gear during the ongoing pandemic.
The FCC already voted unanimously in November 2019 to ban Huawei and ZTE equipment in projects paid for by the commission's Universal Service Fund (USF). But the ban, inspired by fears that the Chinese vendors' equipment poses national security risks, is just now coming into effect, with the FCC announcing yesterday that USF money "may no longer be used to purchase, obtain, maintain, improve, modify, or otherwise support any equipment or services produced or provided by these suppliers."
The Rural Wireless Association (RWA), a trade group that represents ISPs that serve fewer than 100,000 subscribers each, said yesterday it is "stunned by [the] FCC's decision to immediately bar use of USF funds on Huawei and ZTE equipment and services during a time when it is critical to keep rural Americans connected."
(Score: 4, Interesting) by c0lo on Thursday July 02 2020, @08:05AM (4 children)
FTFY.
And the answer is yes. Also, nothing new [nationalinterest.org]
Except now China isn't as pliable as Japan was in the '80-ies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @08:30AM (3 children)
The difference is that protectionism is literally what China does and the only reason it was tolerated - no - promoted by USA was because it made them a lot of money. There aren't many countries that can be part of WTO and block the domestic markets except USA and China.
This is a reckoning of China which should have come decades ago, but since Trump is doing it Democrats have to find some reason to oppose it.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @08:43AM
Decades ago China wasn't part of WTO. And by current standards, US should not be part of it too.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @08:58AM
Except that China complied with WTO rulings. Until an idiot like Trump is trying to break WTO and then what?? We go back to shooting each other because money?
https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/disciplining-chinas-trade-practices-wto-how-wto-complaints-can-help [cato.org]
(Score: 3, Troll) by c0lo on Thursday July 02 2020, @09:39AM
You mean that what US has unilaterally done to Japan in the '80 was bad, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford