FCC Adopts Order to Rip and Replace Huawei, ZTE Equipment Amid 5G Security Challenges

lakshmiprasada S/Shutterstock

The senior Democrat on the commission noted China’s continued leadership of global 5G standards development in urging further action.

The Federal Communications Commission unanimously adopted an order to create a fund for reimbursing smaller telecommunications operators removing any equipment from untrusted Chinese providers—Huawei and ZTE— in their supply chains, assuming Congress appropriates the money

Commissioners used strong ideological rhetoric in voting to approve the order Thursday, while Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel warned the commission’s actions are being taken in the shadow of China’s role developing global standards for fifth-generation networking technology and urged a more comprehensive approach to securing U.S. telecommunications infrastructure.

“The previous administration's position was that, and I quote, ‘we welcome China's rise, and China's rise is potentially good for the world,’” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said. “Consistent with this view, on the previous FCC's watch, Chinese manufactured equipment was incorporated into our communications network with nary an eyebrow raised by agency leadership.”

Pai, Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr and Democrat Commissioner Geoffrey Starks all invoked the Chinese Communist Party in approving the order, as well as another that moved to begin the process of revoking China Telecom Americas’ authority to provide international and domestic interstate telecommunications services within the United States. 

“America has turned the page on the weak and timid approach to Communist China of the past,” Carr said. “Any backsliding or softening of our approach would be a monumental mistake. So today we implement a process for removing insecure equipment that's already installed in networks throughout the country.”

Pai, Carr and Starks noted executive branch agencies' investigations into China Telecom, flagging cybersecurity concerns.

“Executive branch agencies maintain that China Telecom Americas has failed to comply not only with prior commitments made in order to retain access to the US market but also with federal and state cybersecurity and privacy laws,” Pai said. “The executive branch agencies further contend the China Telecom Americas operations, ‘provide opportunities for increased Chinese state-sponsored cyber activities, including economic espionage and the disruption and misrouting of U.S. communications traffic.’” 

But while votes on both orders were unanimous, Rosenworcel struck a cautionary note, saying such bans on Chinese equipment within the U.S. are important but not enough to secure 5G networks.

“We can't stop here, this is only the beginning, because we have so much more work to do to ensure that our communications future is secure,” Rosenworcel said. “Despite our efforts here, the Chinese government is still actively consolidating its global 5G authority. It is a central player in writing international standards and securing patents for emerging 5G technologies.”

The FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council—predominantly comprised of industry representatives—has been examining the security implications of the standards development process at the Third Generation Partnership Project or 3GPP. 

On Wednesday, the group approved a report which found that the 3GPP’s decision to make security features attached to new 5G standards optional for certain equipment was justified as networks transitioned.

“Standards bodies at a global level need to accommodate conflicting national and regional needs,” said Kathy Whitbeck, director of the network management center at communications provider Nsight and chair of the working group that produced the report. “Some nations, some regions require the ability to individually determine whether they’ll support a security capability. 3GPP operates at a global level and we need to operate within that ecosystem so there may need to be the ability to turn [security features] off.”

Whitbeck added that there are also legal restrictions and export limitations on certain security-related technologies, such as encryption.

In a previous report, the working group recommended industry consider the development of a device security management system for 5G networks, and on Wednesday, added that carriers should implement higher-layer security protections as they transition to the new stand-alone 5G systems.

At the same time, Wednesday’s report recommended the FCC adopt no new regulations regarding carriers’ use of security features.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.