FCC blocks China Mobile’s application to provide telecom services in US
China Mobile is seeking approval to provide services for phone calls between the United States and other countries. China Mobile USA, which is a Delaware corporation, first applied for permission in 2011. fcc China Mobile usa
The firm sought FCC approval to provide international facilities-based and resale telecommunications services between the US and foreign destinations. It is not seeking approval to provide wireless services to U.S. consumers.
According to the FCC, China Mobile USA, which filed the application, is indirectly and ultimately owned and controlled by the Chinese government.
US Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai said on Wednesday that he opposes China Mobile’s bid to provide US telecommunications services in view of the potential national security risks, Reuters reports.
“It is clear that China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in our country raises substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks,” Pai was quoted as saying in a statement.
The five-member FCC is expected to back Pai’s draft order, officials said on Wednesday.
China companies in the US fcc China Mobile usa
In 2019, the U.S. government placed Huawei on the Entity List, effectively banning U.S. companies from doing business with the Chinese telecom giant. This decision was based on concerns that Huawei’s equipment could be used for spying by the Chinese government, which Huawei has denied.
Similarly, the U.S. government has also restricted ZTE’s access to U.S. technology due to concerns about the company’s ties to the Chinese government. In 2018, ZTE was temporarily banned from doing business with U.S. companies, but the ban was lifted after ZTE agreed to pay a large fine and make changes to its management structure.
As a result of these restrictions, neither Huawei nor ZTE currently has a significant presence in the U.S. telecom market. Other Chinese telecom companies, such as China Mobile and China Unicom, have also faced barriers to entry into the U.S. market due to national security concerns.
Overall, Chinese telecom companies have faced significant challenges in the U.S. market due to concerns about national security and espionage. As a result, their presence in the U.S. telecom market is currently limited.