The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has declared that two more Chinese telecoms companies are national security threats.
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau added equipment and services from Pacific Network Corp. and its subsidiary ComNet, and China Unicom (Americas) Operations Limited.
The companies join China Mobile and China Telecom, as well as Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua, and Kaspersky on the list.
“Today we take another critical step to protect our communications networks from foreign national security threats,” chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.
“Earlier this year the FCC revoked China Unicom America’s and PacNet/ComNet’s authorities to provide service in the United States because of the national security risks they posed to communications in the United States.
"Now, working with our national security partners, we are taking additional action to close the door to these companies by adding them to the FCC’s Covered List. This action demonstrates our whole-of-government effort to protect network security and privacy.”
US businesses that use federal subsidies will be blocked from working with either company, and other deals with them may be subject to further scrutiny. Both companies already had their license to operate in the US revoked.
The move was based on national security reviews from 2020 - a lengthy delay that the departments of Defense and Justice have told the FCC they need to significantly reduce in the future.
