U.S. FCC Status on Bans Chinese Radiofrequency Devices

Over the past few years, Congress, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Executive Branch have taken several actions to protect the security of the U.S. communications network and equipment supply chains. Those actions have focused on communications equipment and services provided by Chinese companies. For example, Congress has banned federal agencies from procuring communications equipment and services produced by certain Chinese companies.

The FCC has also played a role by prohibiting the use of federal subsidies for the purchase of equipment and services on the Covered List (a list maintained by the FCC that identifies communications equipment and services that pose an unacceptable risk to national security the security of U.S. persons) and by managing a "rip and replace" program to assist small network operators in removing banned equipment from their networks. The FCC recently revised its rules to prohibit the grant of equipment authorizations for radio frequency devices manufactured by companies on the Covered List and is considering rules to revoke previously granted equip..