US providers lack $3 billion to get rid of Huawei and ZTE equipment

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reminded Congress that small broadband Internet service providers require additional funds to remove Chinese telecommunications equipment from their infrastructure that is considered a national security threat.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell warned lawmakers that another $3.08 billion is needed under the Spectrum and Homeland Security Act to replace Chinese equipment in broadband providers’ networks. , which has not yet been adopted. The country has a program to exclude Huawei and ZTE products from the provider infrastructure, but 40% of its participants do not have the means to complete the work – most of them are in rural areas, and the funding gap “disproportionately threatens services to rural communities.”

A year earlier, Rosenworcel had already sent an appeal to Congress that the rejection of Chinese equipment in networks would cost the country $4.98 billion, but in July 2021, legislators allocated $1.9 billion for this purpose, and no more funds were received for the implementation of the program. Now the FCC chairman was forced to recall the deficit of funds, and its size has not changed over the past year.

To date, only 12% of telecommunications companies have managed to completely get rid of Chinese products, and there are still more than 6,000 operators in the country whose networks operate “unsafe” equipment. Moreover, most of them are located in rural areas, and some are even near important military installations.

«Congress must pass a Spectrum and Homeland Security Act that will fund this program, help small providers get back on their feet, and keep rural communities connected,” said Senator Cantwell. She authored the document, which also expands the FCC’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions and provide broadband funding.