Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!sun-barr!newstop!sun!imagen!atari!portal!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle
From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Misc: 1040STe , SIMM , AVAILABILITY
Message-ID: <28283@cup.portal.com>
Date: 25 Mar 90 22:56:03 GMT
References: <16000028@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 64

Question about bringing in STEs from Canada was asked:
>  ...  Don't 
>Canadian firms do Intl. Mail Order?  Anybody have any numbers?

>Could someone purchase a 1040STe up there and send it to Illinois?
>Someone sent a price of $777 Canadian for a 1040STe...
 
(Darek Mihocka mentioned a Canadian price of $699 when he was here last..)
 
The simple answer to importing STEs is  NO
 
The complex answer is that with the Toronto Atari Federation show coming
up next month, and with Toronto only a fairly short drive from the Detroit
area, I was interested in what it would take to *legally* bring an STE
back with me. Calling information got me the administrative office phone
number for U.S. Customs. Calling that number and explaining what I wanted
got me another number.  The person there gave me a different number after
listening to the story again.  Finally I got to someone who understood what
I was asking, and gave me some answers.  The "Import Specialist" in the field
of computers explained that customs duty on computer equipment depends on
the country of origin.  For the sake of just getting an example, I said the
equipment would likely be from Taiwan, for which he said the duty would be
3.9% of the purchase price.  (Japanese hardware apparently carries the
highest duty)  But...   this rate applies only to commercial imports.  On
equipment brought back for personal use, there is a flat 10% duty based on
the purchase price, less the personal deduction. (If you just go over to
Canada and back, the deduction is only $25.. if you stay 24 hours, the
deduction is something like $400..)
 
So the money part isn't a big deal...  but then he said the magic word: FCC
 
To bring electronic equipment into the US, you must have an FCC form 740
filled out for the Customs inspector.  Just by way of an example, the FCC
classification number for a desktop computer without a video display unit
is: 8471.910090  (every configuration apparently has a different number).
 
However...  he didn't know ANYTHING about hardware that hasn't passed
US FCC type acceptance trials, so... he gave me another phone number.
 
I finally got to the Detroit area FCC office, where the entire inquiry
process came to an abrupt halt.   You CANNOT bring anything into the US
which hasn't passed their testing.  The only circumstances under which it
would be possible would be if the unit has gone far enough through the
testing to see that it is likely that it will eventually pass (which does
seem to be the case with the Atari STE),  AND  that you post a HEFTY bond
at the time you bring the unit into the US, certifying that you will have
the non-complying equipment modified to bring it into compliance with the
final version.
 
I don't want an STE that badly...
 
So, Canadian dealers can't legally ship STEs to the US.  Of course, you can
always just drive through Customs and try to look innocent...  9 times out
of 10 they'll just wave you through... but.. if they check and find a
non-complying unit they can impound your new computer and your car, you can
be subject to criminal charges, and at the very least, have to pay a fine
equal to the value of the computer.
 
Until Atari US gets the shielding for the STE right, there won't be very
many STEs in the US...  (sorry that doesn't help you with your dead 1040..
if you can find a dealer with an ST to sell, you probably should buy it,
or face waiting until Atari starts making computers again...)
 
BobR