The banned products include telecommunications and surveillance products from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and Dahua Technology.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said it has adopted rules banning communications equipment that are "deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security from being authorised for importation or sale in the U.S.". The new rules adopt the Bipartisan Secure Equipment Act of 2021, signed into law by President Biden last November, requiring the Commission to adopt such rules.
The FCC says in recent years, the Commission, Congress, and the Executive Branch have taken multiple actions to "build a more secure and resilient supply chain for communications equipment and services within the United States."
FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here. These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications.”
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The new rules prohibit the authorisation of equipment through the FCC’s Certification process and make clear that such equipment cannot be authorised under the Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity process or be imported or marketed under rules that allow exemption from an equipment authorization.
The Commission also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking further comment on additional revisions that should be made to the rules and procedures prohibiting the authorisation of “covered” equipment. It also seeks further comment on potential revisions to the Commission’s competitive bidding program. The Commission is also seeking comments on future action related to existing authorisations.
The FCC has also
- prohibited the use of public funds to purchase covered equipment or services
- launched the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program to remove insecure equipment that has already been installed in U.S. networks
- revoked operating authorities for Chinese state-owned carriers based on recommendations from national security agencies
- updated the process for approving submarine cable licenses to address national security concerns better
- launched inquiries on IoT security and internet outing security, among other actions.