The Federal Communications Commission is investigating nine Chinese companies, including Huawei Technologies, ZTE, Hangzhou Hikvision, China Mobile, and China Telecom, to determine if they are attempting to circumvent U.S. restrictions. These companies are listed on the FCC's "Covered List," which classifies certain communications equipment and services as threats to U.S. national security.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr noted that these companies might still be operating in the United States because they do not believe the designation restricts specific types of operations. Other firms under investigation include Hytera Communications, Dahua Technology Company, Pacifica Networks/ComNet, and China Unicom (Americas).
This investigation is part of a broader initiative by Washington against Chinese telecom and technology firms. The FCC previously prohibited these companies from operating in the U.S. due to national security concerns.
Carr expressed concern that some or all of the firms on the list may be attempting to bypass these prohibitions by continuing to operate privately or on an "unregulated" basis. He emphasized that the FCC aims to identify the extent of their activities and quickly close any loopholes that allow foreign adversaries to evade U.S. regulations.
The FCC is seeking detailed information about ongoing U.S. operations and any other companies that may be facilitating these activities. The agency has issued Letters of Inquiry and at least one subpoena to the involved companies.
Recently, the FCC also worked to enhance the security of the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which is vital for global internet routing. This decision followed reports from U.S. agencies indicating that China Telecom exploited BGP vulnerabilities to misroute U.S. internet traffic on multiple occasions.