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Dec 25th, 2006 at 8:28pm
There is indeed a license exception that can be applied for from the US. Dept. of Commerce. It is my understanding, based on discussions with a company that specializes in import/export restrictions, that such exceptions are only very rarely granted.
You can probably place equipment in a non-sanctioned embassy, as that is considered foreign land.
I suspect that some international organizations may also apply for and possibly be granted exceptions.
The purpose of my post was to warn people that there are certain laws and contractual issues that apply, and that they should proceed with care and make sure they obey the proper licensing procedures. The vendors have no choice. If you illegally import into a proscribed country they will cancel their contract with you or your provider if that can be determined - otherwise they would be in trouble with the authorities themselves. At least speaking from experience with iDirect's export officers - they appear to take the laws very seriously.
Gary, if your customer is a non-commercial customer, please provide the details so that those who might like to respond will know if you have a viable opportunity worth pursuing. Since a license exception will be mandatory in any event (if you use iDirect or other US technology), you might as well get started on that process. Email me and I can give you a referral to company that specializes in assisting with this process(but they aren't cheap).
Personally I wouldn't waste my time working on quotes or system designs for a deal in Sudan, without knowing who the customer was, what their odds were of getting a license, and that the process was well under way, as it can be quite time consuming.
Gary, in a personal email you accused me of "making blanket statements that carry some truth but not all the truth." I hope that this additional information helps. There are a number of posts on the SatSig forum from people trying to bring US technology into Sudan, Iran and Syria in particular; and I make a point to comment on it so that nobody gets burned through lack of knowledge about the legal and contractual issues involved. I certainly don't intend to mislead anyone.
If you are actively marketing iDirect in Sudan, as you appear to be, you should be concerned about your iDirect contract if you have one, or your provider should be concerned about their iDirect contract, as you may be treading on thin ice. Otherwise, I believe you should clearly demonstrate that you have a qualified prospect for whom hardware and services may be provided legally.
Pat
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