US plans to ban Chinese telecom firms from direct access to US phone numbers

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to ban Chinese telecom firms from accessing US phone numbers directly, citing concerns over national security and robocalls, according to FCC Chair Brendan Carr. The proposed ban, to be voted on November 19, targets China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, and other IP-enabled service providers.

Direct access, facilitated by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, is cheaper for telecom firms and allows for advanced features. The FCC will also prohibit IP-enabled service providers with equipment from companies on its national security-risk list, such as Huawei or ZTE, from accessing US networks and operating data centers in the US.

Additionally, all Chinese labs involved in testing US electronics may be barred in December 2028, and direct number authorizations for riskier Chinese companies could be revoked. The FCC has previously barred China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom from international telecommunications services to the US, and recent concerns about Chinese espionage and threats to US telecommunications infrastructure persist.