FCC Expands Import Ban on Legacy Chinese Tech Equipment

The Federal Communications Commission expanded its import ban on telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from Chinese manufacturers, including Huawei Technologies Co, ZTE Corp, Hytera Communications Corp, Hikvision Digital Technology Co, and Dahua Technology Co. Effective in early July, the new rules extend a 2022 order that targeted only new models to now include older, legacy equipment used for public safety, government facility security, and critical infrastructure surveillance.

The agency stated the expansion is necessary to mitigate risks to the US communications sector. While the order prohibits the future import and marketing of these older models, it allows the continued use of equipment already owned by American businesses.

This action follows recent FCC bans on new Chinese-made consumer routers and drones. The agency is also considering a prohibition on US telecommunications carriers interconnecting with Chinese firms, a move that would prevent those firms from operating US data centers.

Hikvision opposed the expansion, characterizing the decision as a politically motivated action that lacks statutory authority or technical evidence.