FCC proposes blocking Chinese telecoms from US numbers

The FCC plans to vote November 19 on a proposal to bar China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and other IP-enabled providers from directly accessing U.S. phone numbers, citing national security risks and efforts to curb scam robocalls. The proposal would also restrict providers using equipment from Huawei, ZTE and other companies deemed security risks; the FCC is considering further limits on Chinese telecom firms and plans to bar Chinese labs from testing U.S. electronics starting in December 2028. The move comes amid U.S. concerns about Chinese access to telecommunications infrastructure, including the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage campaign, which Washington says compromised call records and telecom networks.