Veego Software, an Israeli artificial intelligence-based software-as-a-service for ISPs, is looking to expand its brand in the U.S., CEO Amir Kotler told us. Veego’s software provides “self-healing” for a home network, where possible, eliminating truck rolls. As subscribers add connected devices, service issues grow in complexity, he said. In many cases, problems aren’t the fault of the ISP, but are due to complications in the cloud, with other devices or external problems, he said. The Veego SaaS detects Wi-Fi anomalies that affect streaming, browsing, gaming and other services in a smart home, Kotler said. It analyzes the root cause, pinpoints the precise location and reason, and lets subscribers know whom to contact. In some cases, it can fix problems on the spot, he said. The software is compliant with the general data protection regulation, said the executive: It doesn’t store personal information; data sits on the subscriber’s route.

ISPs should “strongly consider joining the Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security initiative,” the World Economic Forum said Thursday. “Systemic security issues about how traffic is routed on the Internet make it a relatively easy target for criminals,” WEF Outreach Manager-Asia Pacific Adrian Wan wrote. “MANRS helps reduce the most common routing threats and increase efficiency and transparency among ISPs on peering relationships.”

Vodafone Group has withdrawn from Facebook’s Libra Association (see 1910230063). “We will continue to monitor the development of the Libra Association and do not rule out the possibility of future co-operation” but for now will focus on Vodafone's M-Pesa money transfer service, a spokesperson emailed.

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., filed House companion legislation Tuesday to a bill (S-3153) from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., targeting Huawei (see 2001080002). The bill would bar the U.S. from sharing intelligence “with any country that permits operation within its national borders” of Huawei-produced 5G equipment. “Huawei is a Trojan Horse for the Chinese Communist Party to spy on and infiltrate other nations,” Banks said. “Our allies must choose: Adopt Huawei and lose access to U.S. intelligence, or remain our trusted partner.” The U.S. is trying to convince the U.K. government not to allow Huawei equipment on the country’s 5G infrastructure. House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a co-sponsor of Banks’ bill, said that “allowing Huawei into the U.K.’s 5G networks would pose a national security threat that could not be mitigated or contained. Such a decision would necessarily have negative consequences for the U.S./U.K. relationship in many areas, including trade and intelligence cooperation.”

As the U.S. explores allowing unlicensed devices to share the 6 GHz band, the U.K.’s Ofcom Friday sought comment by March 20 on 6 GHz issues. Ofcom proposes to “make the lower 6 GHz band (5925-6425 MHz) available for Wi-Fi. The release of this spectrum would enable also very low power outdoor use. This would improve performance by reducing congestion in existing bands caused by large numbers of devices and enable the development of new, higher bandwidth applications.” Ofcom also proposed removing dynamic frequency selection requirements from Wi-Fi channels in the 5.8 GHz band. “Ofcom’s announcement confirms that regulators around the world are focused on delivering Wi-Fi spectrum capacity in the 6 GHz band, which is urgently needed to support the growing demand for wireless connectivity,” said Alex Roytblat, Wi-Fi Alliance senior director-regulatory affairs.

Tech and business groups hailed Thursday’s Senate 89-10 ratification of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. The measure awaits President Donald Trump’s signature. Canada's parliament isn't expected to ratify it until February. Mexico OK'd it in June. Senate approval is an “historic bipartisan victory for all Americans, especially manufacturers, farmers, and service providers,” said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The agreement’s digital trade provisions will help the future of the content industry “look brighter, particularly in Mexico,” said the Motion Picture Association. USMCA “will modernize trade among our closest trading partners and pave the way for continued prosperity across the borders of North America,” said the National Retail Federation. The agreement “will help ensure that more products researched, designed, and made in America -- including semiconductors -- can flow to customers" worldwide, said the Semiconductor Industry Association. “Businesses in all sectors rely on the free movement of data across borders, and the USMCA is a strong step towards creating international consensus on how that data should be treated,” said BSA|The Software Alliance. USMCA brings “North American commerce into the digital age with robust rules that will prove critical to the continued growth of the Internet economy,” said the Computer & Communications Industry Association. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., (see 2001150080) joined eight Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to vote against USCMA. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., was the only Republican to vote no.

The European Parliament calling for a common charger for all smartphones, tablets and e-readers “undermines innovation, restricts competition and hurts consumers,” said Maria Chaplia, European affairs associate at the Consumer Choice Center, responding to a Tuesday resolution. In 2009, the European Commission began encouraging universal chargers. Saying “conformity is the greatest enemy of progress,” Chaplia cited varying preferences for devices “be it Apple, or Samsung, or Meizu, or Nokia.” New versions of products appear regularly as competition drives companies to continually improve products and offer more choice, she said. The EP shouldn’t decide which technology consumers use and “should embrace neutrality,” she said: Forcing companies to adopt a universal charger would inflict costs on device makers, leaving consumers to “foot the bill.” A 2014 directive sought a common charger. Voluntary agreements among industry players “have not yielded desired results,” said EU Monday: Old chargers generate more than 51,000 tons of e-waste annually.

Treasury Department Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act final regulations made several changes, without providing a further definition for “critical technologies” that industry had sought (see 1911210029). The regulations, effective Feb. 13, as expected (see 1909040029) expand authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review a broader range of foreign business dealings in the U.S. “Commenters recommended narrowing the definition and noted that the Department of Commerce, at the time of the proposed rule, had yet to define emerging and foundational technologies,” Treasury said Monday. “FIRRMA defines ‘critical technologies,’ and FIRRMA does not give the Treasury Department discretion to change this statutory definition through these regulations.” The agency won't define emerging and foundational technology, deferring to the Commerce Department. Commerce didn't comment Wednesday. Regulations got other changes based on public comments, Treasury says in Friday's Federal Register. Comments on a non-tech change are due Feb. 18. The Covington law firm outlined the changes.

Carriers worldwide created a forum to “accelerate the delivery of 5G and mobile-edge computing-enabled solutions,” Verizon said Wednesday: “The 5G Future Forum will collaborate to develop interoperable 5G specifications across key geographic regions, including the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.” Founders are America Movil, KT, Rogers, Telstra, Verizon and Vodafone.

Sharp Japan’s “prior pending applications” to trademark “NXT-GEN” as a name and logo for consumer TVs and monitors were "abandoned and no longer pose as a potential bar” to CTA’s attempt to register the “NEXTGEN TV” logo for ATSC 3.0 consumer goods, said an “examiner’s amendment” posted Tuesday at the Patent and Trademark Office. Sharp’s December 2018 applications got provisional PTO approval, but PTO declared them dead after Sharp let lapse the Jan. 4 deadline for filing the required statements of use that would have cleared the trademarks to final registration (see 2001080031). Sharp and CTA haven’t commented on whether they coordinated PTO activities to let the NEXTGEN TV logo application go forward.