US telecom agency says it could boost authority over Huawei and ZTE equipment. Jessica Rosenworcel, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, stated on Thursday that the agency’s plan to reestablish net neutrality regulations may give it additional ability to compel the removal of hardware manufactured by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE (000063. S.Z.) from American networks, including data centers.
The 129-page document requests feedback from the public on whether new regulations intended to prevent internet service providers from restricting traffic or charging for fast lanes would give the FCC “more robust authority to require more entities to remove and replace covered Huawei and ZTE communications equipment and services.”
Additionally, it inquires whether the authority would permit it to forbid Chinese technology from being used in data centers, internet exchange facilities, and any other network infrastructure used to route or transmit communications.
Requests for comment from Huawei and ZTE did not immediately receive a response.
Regarding Huawei and ZTE, the FCC in November prohibited the certification of new telecom equipment because they constituted “an unacceptable risk” to American national security.
By a 2019 law intended to safeguard communications networks, the FCC designated Chinese telecom firms Pacific Networks and China Unicom (Americas) (0762. H.K.) as dangers to American national security in September 2022.
Before this, it had already withdrawn or refused Chinese telecom firms permission to operate in the U.S. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said that the net neutrality regulations will improve the organization’s “ability to protect the nation’s communications networks from entities that pose threats to national security.”
The current “authority does not cover broadband,” according to Rosenworcel. There is a security gap here that has to be closed. The proposal, up for a first vote on October 19, also inquires whether the FCC may forbid internet service providers from concluding traffic exchange agreements with certain businesses based on national security.
According to a prior statement by the Chinese embassy in Washington, the FCC “abused state power and maliciously attacked Chinese telecom operators again without factual basis.” The U.S. government has been “unlawfully and irrationally” targeting Huawei, according to Huawei, which has frequently refuted accusations of misconduct.
The United States is attempting to combat Chinese internet titans amid concerns that Beijing may use them to spy on Americans. Washington has pressured the United States’ allies to stop using Huawei or ZTE hardware in 5G networks or remove it from current networks for years. The FCC flagged Huawei and ZTE as security risks, requiring American carriers to remove their hardware or risk losing access to a $8.3 billion government fund to acquire new hardware. However, Congress only budgeted $1.9 billion to support the so-called “rip and replace” initiative.
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