US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Bans Imports and sales of Chinese telecommunications and surveillance products

Updated on 2022-11-27: FCC Bans Imports from Five Chinese Telecoms

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has barred the import and sales of Chinese telecommunications and surveillance products from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hikvision, and Dahua and their subsidiaries over national security risks. FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel notes, “While we’ve flagged equipment as posing a national security risk, prohibited companies from using federal funds to purchase them, and even stood up programs to replace them, for the last several years the FCC has continued to put its stamp of approval on this equipment through its equipment authorization process.” The new rule means FCC will no longer permit the products to be submitted for the equipment authorization process.

Note

• This is the more traditional supply chain security we’re used to, and is still relevant, even in a post-SolarWinds world. Don’t forget to consider the security of your suppliers, to include country of origin and influencers of the OEM process. This decision effectively bans the purchase of these brands within the US. Note that concerns with these manufacturers go back several years, and while this does introduce risks of having to purchase more expensive alternatives, a compromise can rapidly outstrip any money saved here.
• A bit of bureaucratic housecleaning being implemented by the FCC. The ban on imports does even the playing field for US technology providers that face growing tech nationalism policies by some countries.
• This ban is not surprising, but it will be interesting to see how this will change the landscape. On the smartphone side, we did not see much of Huawei, which is sold in many countries overseas. What we did see in the US were Huawei booths for their networking equipment at many of the conferences. We also have many enterprises that use Hikvision DVR and cameras. What will this mean for existing customers? Will they be able to get updates? Will there be a reciprocal reaction? It’s hard to tell, as US telecom players have sometimes had a more challenging time penetrating the Chinese market.

Read more in

• US bans sales of Huawei, Hikvision, ZTE, and Dahua equipment
• US bans Chinese telecoms imports – won’t even consider authorizing them
• U.S. Bans Chinese Telecom Equipment and Surveillance Cameras Over National Security Risk

Overview: U.S., Britain take ban hammers to Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision

The U.S. government has finally banned Huawei and ZTE, two Chinese telecom equipment makers, preventing the sale and import of some of their technologies. It’s been several years in the making. The FCC’s ban means the U.S. can no longer buy or use new Huawei or ZTE equipment in critical infrastructure networks over fears it could be used for espionage (or worse), though existing tech may end up facing future bans (even if it’s a far messier job to pull out equipment that’s already there). The order also affects Hikvision and Dahua, two surveillance camera makers known for supplying technology to Chinese detention camps housing at least a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, including interrogation devices. Hikvision and Dahua were subsequently banned by U.K. authorities this week from government buildings citing security fears. Read more:

• U.S. bans the sale and import of some tech from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE
• ‘Always on and watching’: A former Xinjiang prisoner describes life inside China’s detention camps
• Hikvision Interrogation Solution For PRC Police
• UK bans Chinese CCTV cameras on ‘sensitive’ government sites
• UK restricts Chinese cameras in government buildings over security fears
• UK bans Chinese surveillance cameras from ‘sensitive’ sites