7 Senators 'Alarmed' by Huawei Involvement in WinnForum's 3.5 GHz Sharing Work

Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and five other senators expressed concern to the FCC and DOD Wednesday about Huawei's involvement in developing the spectrum access system (SAS) and environmental sensing capability (ESC) technologies for sharing the 3.5 GHz band. They wrote acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai that they're "alarmed" Huawei is a member of the Wireless Innovation Forum's Spectrum Sharing Committee. The company is under scrutiny from lawmakers concerned about how it could affect security of 5G technology given its role in deployments in other countries (see 1905230066). President Donald Trump's executive order last month bars some foreign companies' technology from U.S. networks and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security filed a notice adding Huawei and affiliates to a list of entities subject to export administration regulations (see 1905160081). BIS issued a general license temporarily allowing certain transactions by Huawei and the affected affiliates through Aug. 19 (see 1905210013). Trump later said sanctions against Huawei could be part of trade negotiations with China (see 1905240038). The senators asked DOD and the FCC about the "long-term implications" of Huawei's WinnForum involvement "for use of SAS and ESC technology specifically and spectrum sharing generally" and whether the WinnForum work gives the company "unique knowledge" about current Navy use of the 3.5 GHz band. They want to know what the agencies are doing to "fully assess Huawei’s involvement in SAS and ESC development" and "what steps are being taken to mitigate Huawei’s further involvement" in the WinnForum work. The other senators signing the letter included: Susan Collins, R-Maine; John Cornyn, R-Texas; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. The FCC and DOD didn't comment Thursday.