The pandemic will continue well past Sept. 30, so the FCC Wireline Bureau should extend its gift rules waiver to the Rural Health Care and E-rate programs to June 30, 2021, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, Consortium for School Networking and State Educational Technology Directors Association said Wednesday in a docket 02-60 posting. The bureau approved the waiver in March to run through Sept. 30 (see 2003180054). The gift rules promote fair and competitive bidding in normal times, but the unprecedented health crisis means schools, libraries and healthcare providers should be able to accept needed broadband equipment and service donations from the private sector, the groups said.

Competitive Carriers Association President Steve Berry urged congressional leaders Wednesday to “consider provisions” in any compromise version of the next COVID-19 aid bill that would “help Americans connect to broadband, and in particular, mobile." Senate leaders are negotiating with House colleagues and the White House, though there's no sign of a deal. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday the chamber will delay the start of recess and be in session next week amid hopes for a breakthrough. Senate Republicans’ recent proposals included a few telecom and tech provisions (see 2007280059). House Democrats had more tech and telecom language in their Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HR-6800), including broadband funding (see 2005130059). “Wireless technology is the optimal way to provide immediate connectivity to Americans seeking a broadband connection,” Berry said in a letter to McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the chambers’ minority leaders. “Prioritize policies and support for wireless broadband as you move forward with pandemic relief legislation. Consumers need connectivity now,” he asked. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also sought broadband provisions in the next pandemic bill Wednesday, saying in a floor speech that "all Americans should have access to high speed internet. This pandemic has put a magnifying glass on the gap. It’s time to act now."

“Record-level unemployment and continuing uncertainty" led consumers to cut discretionary spending 50%, said Parks Associates' David Drury Wednesday. Consumer tech purchases increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Some 26% of U.S. broadband households bought electronics, and demand is expected to continue into next year and possibly 2022, said the analyst. Strong demand will continue for residential broadband to enable streaming video services and messaging, video calling and virtual meetings, he said. About three-fourths of households subscribe to at least one streaming video service; half to two or more. Some 30% intend to avoid public events and large gatherings into 2021 over concern of exposure, said Drury. Seventy percent believe the economy will need a long time to recover; 23% believe the economy will rebound quickly once social-distancing measures are lifted. About 29% say they are delaying vacations or personal travel at least until next year.

Stay-at-home orders are breathing new life into tablets, reported Strategy Analytics Wednesday. Q2 shipments grew 17%, the highest quarterly growth in six years, said SA. Back-to-school demand could further boost the tablet market in the fall, it said. “Sales could see an extended resurgence due to lower price points if remote work and school options remain post-pandemic.”

COVID-19's cancellation of CES 2021 as a physical show (see 2007280034) typifies the shaky Q1 outlook for Las Vegas conventions, said Wynn Resorts President Marilyn Spiegel on a Q2 call Tuesday. Other trade shows are “going to be falling out” in Q1, “but we see that by about April, there's some firmness,” she said. NAB Show 2021 is scheduled for April 10-14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. There’s “not much left on the books” for recouping convention business in 2020, said Spiegel. “And in 2021, the first quarter is a question mark.” Others say similar (see 2008040062). Without its customary “convention base,” the Strip has become “super-regional,” said Wynn CEO Matt Maddox. Customers from “drive-in markets” are dominating the traffic, and two-thirds of them are “nongamers,” he said.

The pandemic “highlights the urgent need to advance toward smart healthcare systems” based on 5G, reported ABI Research Wednesday. It forecasts 5G will generate just under $400 million in healthcare revenue, with 4.6 million connections, by 2026. “These numbers underscore the huge momentum that we see for 5G adoption in the healthcare domain,” said ABI. “5G will be an important building block for smarter and more efficient healthcare systems.”

COVID-19 had a much bigger impact on Coherent’s bookings than on revenue in fiscal Q3 ended July 4, said CEO Andy Mattes on a Tuesday investor call. It supplies lasers for microelectronics and flat-panel display production and for materials processing. Revenue grew 1.8% sequentially but declined 12.1% from the 2019 quarter. Its Q3 “proposal activity level” was more than 10% lower than Q2, said Mattes. April was the “low point,” with activity 40% below the Q3 average, he said. Coherent is “encouraged” that July proposals, defined as requests for quotes and “similar activity,” rebounded to levels “north of the Q2 average,” he said. Barring more lockdowns “in the months to come, this should be an early sign of recovery that could manifest itself in our Q1 booking” for the period ending early January, he said. “With consumer spending and habits worldwide being impacted by COVID, we would expect to see a somewhat quicker recovery” for smartphones than for “big-ticket items” like cars, he said. “We therefore expect a faster recovery across microelectronics than we would for materials processing.” The stock plunged 10.6% Wednesday, closing at $129.18.

OtterBox protective cases for the Galaxy Note20 5G and Note20 Ultra 5G have antimicrobial technology, said the company Wednesday. Prices start at $49.

Sony's core Electronics Products & Solutions (EP&S) consumer tech sector “was impacted by the spread of COVID-19 earlier and more significantly than any other segment," said Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki Tuesday. It swung to a 9.1 billion yen ($85.8 million) operating loss in Q1 ended June 30 from a year-earlier profit. EP&S sales declined 31% to 331.8 billion yen. It’s forecasting a 6% fiscal year sales decline. The EP&S supply chain “has almost fully recovered” from disruptions after widespread instability through late June (see 2006290041), said Totoki. Though “progress varies” by product category and region, customer demand “is beginning to recover as well,” he said. EP&S is bracing “for potential second and third waves of COVID-19,” he said. It’s “transforming the structure of this business into a more resilient” organization, he said: It plans an “overhaul” of operations and “enhancement” of e-commerce distribution channels.

Seventy percent of large businesses in Europe worry that remote-working policies due to COVID-19 are making them “more vulnerable” to cyberattacks, an AT&T study found. It canvassed 800 cybersecurity professionals, finding 55% believe work-from-home protocols leave them more susceptible. That jumps to 70% for large businesses. The experts identified employees as the source of the riskiest vulnerabilities. They reported 35% use the same device for work and play, and 24% “are sharing or storing sensitive information in unsanctioned cloud applications,” the telco said.