On June 3, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) filed a petition with the FCC that seeks a rulemaking or waiver to reduce restrictions on marketing and importing of new radiofrequency devices by manufacturers. The petition seeks to ease existing rules that prohibit certain pre-sale activities by manufacturers until the FCC authorizes their devices. (Existing rules don't similarly restrict wholesalers or retailers.) FCC device certification can be time-consuming. But by modifying its rules or issuing a waiver, the Commission would enable conditional sales by manufacturers, helping them to gauge public demand and get a running start on bringing 5G devices to market once their devices receive FCC authorization.
The requested relief would be subject to certain safeguards. For instance, it would apply to devices that manufacturers have a reasonable basis for believing will receive authorization within 30 days of importation. And manufacturers must have processes for retrieving devices from retailers if their devices are denied authorization.
In a June 2 blog post, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly called for an update to the FCC's product marketing and importing rules. It appears that CTA's petition hits the spot. If the Commission grants the requested relief, the agency could help boost 5G adoption in the U.S. The Commission should give CTA's petition prompt consideration.
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