A bill proposed to strengthen U.S. supply chains and domestic production capacity would formally have the Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security at the Department of Homeland Security serve as the “point person” on CFIUS and Team Telecom. Details inside.
This week, we sit down with John Beahn, who recently joined the law firm of Milbank as its first full-time CFIUS partner. According to Beahn, CFIUS and Team Telecom “only have begun to scratch the surface of the authorities provided to them” by FIRRMA. Details and insights inside.
The Federal Communications Commission has accused a U.S. wireless carrier of “repeatedly” transferring control of its FCC licenses to foreign individuals. The firm’s parent company in London will be fined $600,639. Details, the case, and what this may signal about Team Telecom are inside.
We sit down with David Plotinsky, former acting chief of the Department of Justice’s Foreign Investment Review Section. David takes us inside the “black box” of FIRS, describes how it interacts with CFIUS, and offers some pitfalls to avoid when dealing with the Committee.
This week we sit down with Richard Sofield, the former chair of Team Telecom, to discuss the new Committee, cross-over with CFIUS, and more. Of note: Richard predicts a more active regime. “I think we are seeing Team Telecom become increasingly assertive in multiple ways.”
The Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Service Sector (known as Team Telecom) is reviewing Zoom’s intended acquisition of call-center software firm Five9 on grounds of national security. Details and docs are inside.
The FCC is seeking comments on a set of questions for applications that will get foreign-ownership reviews by Team Telecom. Details on the “standardized national security and law enforcement questions,” the public notice, instructions, contacts, and more are inside.
As we covered back in October, the FCC has adopted a new Team Telecom review process that should improve the transparency and timeliness of foreign ownership reviews. The new review process becomes effective this week. Details, downloads, fact sheets and contacts are inside.
A decision to allow iHeartMedia to take on additional foreign investors shows that Team Telecom is welcoming foreign participation in the nation’s communications system. Caroline Brown of Crowell & Moring says companies with similar pending transactions might want to review the LOA. Download the decision inside.
This week, the Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules that should improve the transparency and timeliness of foreign ownership reviews. Details on the new “Team Telecom” review process, and how it relates to CFIUS, are inside.
Last week, President Trump formalized the “Team Telecom” review process, creating a Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (can you say, “CAFPUSTSS”?). Details and the Executive Order are inside.