Sens. John Edwards (D-N.C.) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) are expected as early as this week to introduce pro-consumer wireless location privacy legislation, according to an Edwards staff member. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about mobile-phone carriers and marketers having the ability to track the whereabouts of subscribers. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for a rule that would require pre-approval from consumers before wireless location services are provided.
CTIA last week “reaffirmed our strong belief that the [FCC] must revise the proposed [fiscal year] 2001 regulatory fee schedule to avoid imposing an improper bias against the wireless industry.” In a letter dated May 29, the trade association noted the FCC’s own data released on May 21 as part of the FCC Local Telephone Competition Report says there were more than 101 million wireless-phone subscribers at the end of 2000. The regulatory fee assessment is based on 90 million subscribers. CTIA believes that based on the Local Competition Report data the assessment should be reduced from $0.30 per unit to $0.27 per unit. In addition, CTIA continued to press the FCC to change the way it assesses regulatory fees.
President George W. Bush was expected to seek an extension of favorable trade terms with China. The extension of permanent normal trade relations is necessary because of delays in China’s quest for membership in the World Trade Organization. While the China trade debate in Congress is expected to be especially heated, lawmakers are expected to approve PNTR.
Amnesty International said it has began to focus on killings, mutilation and arms trade associated with illegal mining of coltan-a key raw material used in mobile-phone production-in the Democratic Republic of Congo. AI noted how diamond mining in Africa already has led to human-rights abuses and aggravated internal conflict, problems that have been brought to light in connection with coltan mining. Motorola Inc., Nokia Corp. and L.M. Ericsson say they are taking steps to avoid using coltan mined in the Congo.
