US FCC May Ban Chinese Telecom Firms in New Crackdown

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to vote on a proposal that could restrict American telecommunications carriers from interconnecting with certain Chinese telecom companies. The FCC has tentatively decided it should prohibit U.S. carriers from linking with China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom due to national security concerns.

The agency is also considering extending the ban to include some affiliates of these companies on the national security list. This move comes after the FCC revoked authorization for these Chinese firms to operate in the U.S. in 2019, 2021, and 2022 respectively.

Additionally, the FCC plans to prohibit telecommunications carriers from interconnecting with companies that have installed equipment from entities on the national security list, including Huawei and ZTE. The vote is scheduled for April 30.