Agency bars Chinese telecom carriers from offering US broadband services (updated)

China Mobile

25/04/2024 18:08

(Adds more details)
    By David Shepardson
       WASHINGTON, April 25 (Reuters) - 
    The Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday it is
ordering the U.S. units of China Telecom  0728.HK , China Unicom
  0762.HK  and China Mobile  0941.HK  to discontinue fixed or
mobile broadband internet operations in the United States.
  
        The FCC said it was requiring the Chinese carriers to
discontinue services within 60 days of the effective date of the
net neutrality order approved on Thursday. The order also
applies to Chinese telecom Pacific Networks and its wholly owned
subsidiary ComNet. The commission previously had barred the
companies from providing telecommunications services.
         FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said on Thursday the
commission had evidence Chinese telecom carriers were providing
broadband services in the United States. 
  
        The FCC had cited national security concerns in revoking
or denying Chinese companies the right to provide U.S.
telecommunications services.
  
        The FCC had said Chinese telecom firms were "subject to
exploitation, influence and control by the Chinese government." 
   
    This is the latest action by Washington to restrict Chinese
telecom carriers including on undersea cables handling internet
traffic.
        The FCC previously barred approvals of new
telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies
and ZTE  000063.SZ  and other companies saying they pose "an
unacceptable risk" to U.S. national security.
  

 (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
 ((David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 2028988324;))