US FCC is Banning All Sales of Telecom Devices From Huawei, ZTE Over National Security Concerns

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised to make a huge decision for the total ban of all telecommunications equipment related to Huawei and ZTE.

Axios is the first to report that the federal government agency is expected to include the video surveillance equipment from three other China-based companies in the sales ban.

FCC to Ban New Huawei and ZTE Electronic Devices

Before this news came out, the FCC first presented a proposal for this ban in 2019. At that time, the agency chairman Ajit Pai cited that the move would protect the US against the potential security threat from prominent Chinese firms such as Huawei and ZTE.

This time, Axios confirmed that a reliable source said that FCC is officially banning the equipment to tighten its national security.

During Donald Trump's administration, this issue was already on the radar of the FCC. It began when security experts discovered that China could rely on electronic gadgets to spy on people in the US.

In 2021, US President Joe Biden penned legislation about getting equipment licenses in the country. This approval suggests that the government does not want any existence of companies that are deemed to be causing security threats to Americans.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel passed a draft order on Oct. 5 about the sales ban for the equipment. Of course, this further needs approval, so it would be voted on before it becomes official.

Moreover, the proposal is only limited to the new equipment. FCC clarified that the existing devices from Huawei and ZTE will still be distributed unless there's an order to stop their sales.

FCC Will Also Ban the Sales For Video Surveillance Equipment

PCMAG reports that FCC is also planning to include video surveillance equipment in the sales ban. Amid a myriad of cybersecurity attacks, the agency wants to prioritize public safety by preventing these devices from being distributed to consumers.

Aside from Huawei and ZTE, FCC targets three other Chinese firms in the proposal. These include Dahua Technology Company, Hytera Communications Corporation, and Hikvision.

According to a Hikvision representative, the company presents no threat to the US.

"There is no technical or legal justification for why Hikvision should be impacted by the forthcoming Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules," the Hikvision spokesperson added.

FCC Intensifies Crackdown on Robocall Scams

Earlier this month, FCC warned several telecommunication service providers about the rampant robocalls across the country.

According to the agency, the companies will be kicked off if they are non-compliant with the standards when it comes to combating this kind of scam.

The companies can dodge this punishment if they maintain their standards within the Robocall Mitigation database. FCC also wants their implementations to be aligned in STIR/SHAKEN, an organized framework of preventive techniques.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry