The Federal Communications Commission continued its crackdown on Chinese tech on Friday, issuing a new proposal that would extend a ban on companies to products previously authorized.
In 2021, companies such as Huawei, Hikvision, Dahua, Hytera and ZTE were added to the FCC’s Covered List, a record of companies and products that the FCC believes pose a national security risk to the US, under the Secure Networks Act. The Chinese companies produce mobile phones, security cameras and other tech products.
But the 2021 ban applied only to new models that the FCC hadn’t authorized, and companies were free to keep selling models that had already received the FCC’s stamp of approval. If approved, the new proposal would ban these companies entirely, including those previously approved products.
“Older models of covered equipment pose an unacceptable risk today when imported or marketed in the United States, not only when such equipment is new to the market,” an FCC report from October said.
The proposal will be open for comment until May 6, after which the commission will vote on whether to adopt the rules. The ban won’t affect devices already owned by Americans.
My Expert Advice: Don’t Buy a Router Until We Know More About the FCC’s Ban
Millions of consumers and businesses rely on Wi-Fi routers, telecommunications equipment and security cameras every day, making these devices critical links in both home and office networks. The Federal Communications Commission shocked the broadband industry on March 23 by effectively banning the sale of future foreign-made Wi-Fi routers (including some of the biggest router brands).
In recent years, Chinese telecommunications companies have faced restrictions on operating in the US. In 2020, The Wall Street Journal cited US officials who reportedly said that Chinese companies, including Huawei, used backdoor access intended for law enforcement to track sensitive information.
But this ban could be implemented quickly. The FCC proposes that “all parties [will have to] cease all importation and marketing activities within 30 days of the effective date of the prohibition.”
This proposition doesn’t reflect a final legal ruling on telecommunications imports, but it does reflect how the Trump administration has been increasingly pressuring Chinese tech companies in recent months.
The foreign-made router ban was only the latest in a string of decisions that have placed restrictions on Chinese tech companies operating in the US.
In December, the FCC banned the importation of Chinese-made drones into the US. Just months before that, the agency voted to block new approvals for any device containing parts manufactured by companies on the Covered List.
Representatives from the FCC and Huawei didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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