HKT to Exit US Market Following FCC Security Pressure
HKT agreed to halt all US operations by 2027 after the FCC threatened to revoke its operating authority over national security concerns.
Hong Kong telecom carrier HKT agreed on October 30 to cease all international and domestic operations within the United States. The decision follows a consent decree with the Federal Communications Commission, which had begun moving to revoke the company's operating authority in October 2025. The FCC cited national security concerns stemming from HKT's affiliation with shareholder China Unicom.
Under the terms of the agreement, HKT must apply to discontinue its services within 30 days and fully exit the US market by September 1, 2027. In return, the FCC will drop its revocation proceedings. This exit is part of a wider Trump administration crackdown on Chinese telecommunications infrastructure.
Recent FCC actions include a vote to ban Chinese laboratories from testing US electronics by December 2028 and plans to block Chinese telecom firms from direct access to US phone numbers. The Government of China has denied any wrongdoing and warned it would take necessary countermeasures if the US persists in acting unilaterally.
