Tech war: US to bar Huawei lab, other Chinese telecoms from certifying wireless equipment

This new proposal would permanently prohibit Huawei and other entities on an FCC list of companies posing national security risks “from playing any role in the equipment authorisation programme while also providing the FCC and its national security partners the necessary tools to safeguard this important process”, the agency said.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement the agency “must ensure that our equipment authorisation programme and those entrusted with administering it can rise to the challenge posed by persistent and ever-changing security and supply chain threats”.

Huawei’s recognition as an accredited lab was set to expire on Tuesday but the FCC denied the Huawei lab’s request for an extension of its recognition. Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In 2022, the FCC added Russia’s AO Kaspersky Lab, China Telecom (Americas), China Mobile International USA, Pacific Networks and China Unicom to the covered list, which includes companies that pose threats to US national security under a 2019 law aimed at protecting US communications networks.

Huawei and Hikvision were placed on a US export control list in 2019, restricting most US suppliers from shipping goods and technology to them unless they were granted licences.

In 2020, the FCC designated Huawei and ZTE as national security threats to communications networks – a declaration that barred US companies from tapping an US$8.3 billion government fund to purchase equipment from the companies.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the proposal will “ensure that the test labs and certification bodies that review electronic devices for compliance with FCC requirements are themselves trustworthy actors that the FCC can rely on”.