The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a major investigation into entities operating in the U.S. that are aligned with China’s Communist Party (CCP) and whose communications equipment has been placed on the FCC’s Covered List.
According to a press release issued by the Office of FCC Chair Brendan Carr, some of the entities on the Covered List may still be operating within the U.S., in violation of the prohibitions under FCC regulations. The FCC has already sent Letters of Inquiry to each of the listed entities to determine what, if any, further actions are required.
The FCC’s investigation will be conducted by the Commission’s new Council on National Security.
The FCC’s Covered List includes those companies whose equipment or services “pose unacceptable risks to America’s National Security.” The List was originally created in early 2021 and currently includes 11 separate entities, including Huawei Technologies, ZTE, Hytera Communications, and China Mobil International USA.
The text of the FCC’s press release on its investigation into CCP-aligned entities is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-410318A1.pdf.
