The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has indicated that it may prohibit three major Chinese telecommunications companies from rerouting calls through the US phone network. This decision comes as these companies have failed to fully comply with regulations aimed at preventing harassing phone calls, sparking concerns related to national security.
On Monday, the FCC issued multiple enforcement orders, requiring China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom to resolve certification issues within two weeks in the Robocall Mitigation Database. Failure to do so may result in their removal from the database. If removed, US intermediate carriers and voice service providers will be required to stop directly receiving phone traffic from these companies.
The FCC cautioned in its orders that even if the companies address technical deficiencies, their certifications may still be revoked if they are unable to provide “convincing evidence” demonstrating their access to the US communication network does not pose a national security threat and is in the public interest.
Established in 2020, the Robocall Mitigation Database by the FCC requires all domestic and foreign telecommunications companies that use US phone numbers to transmit voice traffic to US users to submit explanations of measures to prevent harassing phone calls.
The FCC noted that following the effective implementation of relevant regulations in early 2024, the three Chinese companies mentioned failed to update their certification information and harassment call mitigation plans as required. According to the rules, once their certifications are revoked, US-based operators will no longer be allowed to directly handle calls using US numbering resources.
In addition to the issue of harassing phone calls, the FCC repeatedly raised concerns about national security in the documents. The organization pointed out that China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom are all state-owned enterprises of the Chinese Communist Party, which could be “easily influenced, controlled, or exploited” by the Chinese government, thereby posing risks to the US communication infrastructure.
Earlier, the FCC had already banned the three aforementioned companies from directly operating telecommunications services in the US. In 2019, the FCC rejected China Mobile’s entry into the US market citing national security risks. In 2021 and 2022, the FCC subsequently revoked the operating licenses of China Telecom Americas and China Unicom, Pacific Networks, and its wholly-owned subsidiary ComNet.
The FCC also placed these companies and their affiliated entities on the so-called “cover list,” identifying their equipment and services as posing unacceptable risks to US national security. Recently, the FCC has taken action to revoke accreditation for testing laboratories owned or controlled by the Chinese government.
Source: Voice of America