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Potential Impacts of Revised ITRs on Global Companies Remain Unclear
Communications Daily (also in Washington Internet Daily)
January 7, 2013 (Subscription Only)

The U.S. decision not to sign the revised International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) means controversial changes to the treaty-level document will have no effect on U.S. law or the telecom sector's work within the U.S. -- but the treaty's effect on U.S. businesses' dealings internationally remain far less clear, industry experts and insiders say.

Global companies that operate in nations that signed onto the revised ITRs -- and in non-signatory nations -- face the prospect of a "balkanized system" in which they will face differing rules "from one country or region to another," Danielle Coffey, general counsel and vice president-government affairs for the Telecommunications Industry Association, told us. "Like others, we are still reviewing what the impact could be, including particularly problematic provisions related to spam and cyberissues, and will participate in other fora where these issues will surely be raised again," Coffey said.

U.S. Business Groups Flag Discriminatory Treatment in Colombia Market
Inside U.S. Trade
January 4, 2013 (Subscription Only)

Companies such as the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) excoriated the continued existence of India's so-called "indigenous innovation" policies, specifically in the government procurement sector.

TIA also criticized Chinese indigenous innovation policies. Despite China's pledge at the May 2011 Strategic and Economic Dialogue not to create a product catalogue of indigenous innovation products, TIA wrote that "provinces within China have not come in line with the national commitment and are moving forward with establishing such lists, which pose significant barriers to companies trying to access government procurement contracts."

Tech groups Laud R&D Tax Credit Extension in 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal
TheHill.com
January 2, 2013

“The R&D credit has been, and will remain, a cost-effective policy for increasing research activity and producing a dollar-for-dollar increase in research spending," TIA President Grant Seiffert said in a statement.

In a letter sent to House leaders last month, TIA urged Congress to extend the R&D tax credit in its resolution to the so-called fiscal cliff and said that failure to do so "will cause the private sector to immediately drop or scale back research plans, dealing a devastating blow to U.S. competitiveness."

Press Release

TIA Applauds Congress for Extending R&D Tax Credit

TIA’s CTO Council Developing Policy Recommendations for Advancing Network Security

TIA Urges House Energy & Commerce Committee to Maximize Available Spectrum, Encourage Broad Participation at FCC Voluntary Incentive Auctions