WTA Files Comments to Supply Chain Public Notice

On March 27, WTA filed comments in response to the Public Notice, released by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau on March 13, 2020, seeking comment on the applicability of provisions in the Secure Networks Act to the Commission’s designations of Huawei and ZTE as covered companies in its Protecting Against National Security Threats Report and Order.

WTA did not file comments in the initial designation proceedings of Huawei and ZTE. However, it is very interested in how the Commission interprets the Act in these proceedings as well as in its USF Supply Chain docket (WC Docket No. 18-89). WTA argued that a plain reading of the Act requires the Commission to replace its current designation process with an equipment-centric approach instead of the company-centric approach it adopted in its Report and Order. Under the Act, the Commission must now determine if individual pieces of equipment and services pose a security risk rather than deeming all equipment from a provider to be a risk.