The United States is preparing a fresh crackdown on Chinese telecom companies. The Federal Communications Commission will vote on November 19 on a proposal to stop China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and other covered firms from direct access to US phone numbers.
The FCC said the measure will protect American consumers and telecom networks. It also aims to curb illegal robocalls, scams and other misuse of US numbering resources.
Direct access lets a carrier obtain and control US telephone numbers. It is especially valuable for internet-based calling services, which transmit calls as data over broadband networks rather than through traditional phone lines.
These services are cheaper to run and can offer advanced features. But the FCC believes direct access also gives foreign companies a route into the American telecom system that could be exploited for fraud or surveillance.
The proposed rules would prevent covered Chinese providers from getting new direct access and would remove existing access where required. The agency also wants to stop IP-enabled providers from using equipment made by companies on its national-security risk list, including Huawei and ZTE.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr described the proposal as a move to strengthen the country’s first line of defense against bad actors. He said foreign access to US telecom infrastructure could enable spying, data theft and scam-related robocalls.
The action follows concerns over the alleged Salt Typhoon cyber-espionage campaign. US officials have said the operation targeted American telecom networks and stole consumer call records. The FBI warned Related threats remain active. The FCC is weighing additional steps beyond phone-number access. These include revoking direct-number authorizations for Chinese companies considered national-security risks.
The measures would extend earlier restrictions. The FCC already barred China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom from providing international telecom services in the United States.
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