BIS Huawei FAQs Clarify More Restrictions, Exemptions

A Commerce Department agency clarified more questions (see 1908210078) about what amounts to an partial ban related to Huawei products, without saying if the reprieve would be extended past Nov. 18. The Bureau of Industry and Security isn't offering more export license exceptions, said FAQs, as of Tuesday. Current authorization allows certain activities supporting existing U.S. networks with Huawei, including supporting operators on “debugging, configuration, and other activities to maintain services." Also OK: “emergency and planned software updates necessary to maintain network operability; in-life upgrades of equipment and components to maintain (but not expand) capacity; and in-life replacements of defective hardware.” Not allowed are things that would "increase or enhance the functionality of the network." Services “are generally not subject” to these restrictions, though in the telecom industry, services describing “export or transfer (in-country) of software or technology in terms of, inter alia, operation and/or management of a telecommunications network” do fall under restrictions, said additional new FAQs. “General purpose computing devices” aren't covered under the mandates, which do include “personal consumer electronic devices” of “phones and other personally-owned equipment, such as tablets, smart watches, televisions, and mobile hotspots such as MiFi devices.”