FCC revokes U.S. authorization of Chinese language telecom agency Pacific Networks

The Federal Communications Fee (FCC) brand is seen earlier than the FCC Internet Neutrality listening to in Washington February 26, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Communications Fee (FCC) on Wednesday voted to revoke the authorization for Chinese language telecom Pacific Networks and its wholly-owned subsidiary ComNet to supply U.S. telecommunications companies.

The 4-0 vote to revoke the authority that had been granted in 2002 is the most recent transfer by the American regulator to bar Chinese language telecommunications carriers from the USA citing nationwide safety considerations. The FCC mentioned Pacific Networks and ComNet are not directly and in the end owned and managed by the Chinese language authorities.

A U.S. lawyer for Pacific Networks and the Chinese language Embassy in Washington didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

That is the fourth motion by the FCC towards a Chinese language telecom firm since 2019.

In March 2021, the FCC discovered Pacific Networks and ComNet had didn’t “dispel severe considerations concerning their retention of their authority to supply telecommunications companies in the USA” and started the method to revoke their U.S. authorization.

The FCC mentioned in about 60 days it can reclaim the 2 Worldwide Signaling Level Codes that had been assigned to ComNet in 2001 and in 2003.

In January, the FCC voted to revoke an identical authorization for China Unicom’s (0762.HK) U.S. unit to function in the USA, citing nationwide safety considerations.

The FCC mentioned China Unicom Americas is in the end owned and managed by the Chinese language authorities and offers cellular digital community operator companies and worldwide personal leased circuit and Ethernet personal line companies together with IP transit, cloud and resold companies in the USA.

In October, the FCC revoked the U.S. authorization for China Telecom (Americas), saying it “is topic to exploitation, affect and management by the Chinese language authorities.” The Chinese language didn’t win an attraction of the choice.

In 2019, the FCC rejected China Cell Ltd’s (0941.HK) bid to supply U.S. telecommunications companies, citing nationwide safety dangers.

Reporting by David Shepardson
Modifying by Chizu Nomiyama

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