• The FCC may bar China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom from US networks.
• This action is part of ongoing measures against national security threats from foreign firms.
• The companies must prove their operations do not pose a risk within two weeks.
• This follows a history of FCC actions against these companies since 2019.
• Concerns include their participation in robocall mitigation efforts and broader national security issues.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it may bar three major Chinese telecom companies—China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom—from connecting to U.S. networks, largely due to concerns over robocalls and national security threats. The FCC has ordered these companies to address issues tied to their certifications in its Robocall Mitigation Database, warning that failure to meet requirements could result in their removal from it, thereby impacting the handling of calls within the U.S. and potentially blocking call traffic from these carriers altogether, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

The companies are given a two-week timeline to provide convincing evidence that their presence in U.S. markets does not pose a national security risk. The FCC expressed that removing these carriers from the database would necessitate all voice service providers in the U.S. to cease accepting calls from them, significantly impacting communications, reports India Times. This scrutiny reflects ongoing tensions in U.S.-China relations, particularly concerning telecommunications companies.

The FCC has a history of restricting these companies; it previously blocked China Mobile’s bid for U.S. operations in 2019 due to security concerns and revoked operating authorizations for China Unicom and China Telecom in subsequent years. This recent action comes amid broader investigations into multiple Chinese firms, highlighting the agency's focus on national security in telecommunications, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

In addition to the telecom scrutiny, the FCC has taken steps against test labs controlled by the Chinese government to ensure no foreign adversaries are in charge of testing devices certifying them for safety in the U.S. market. This is part of ongoing efforts to review the presence of foreign entities in crucial infrastructure sectors to mitigate any risks associated with national security, as noted by India Times.