The US House of Representatives is set to vote on an annual defense bill that includes $3 billion to help remove equipment made by Chinese telecoms firms Huawei and ZTE from US wireless networks. The move aims to address security risks posed by the equipment.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates removing insecure equipment will cost $4.98 billion, but Congress has only approved $1.9 billion for the “rip and replace” program so far. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel warned that a lack of funding could lead to rural networks shutting down, threatening 911 service.
The move is part of efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese equipment in US wireless networks, as Washington has urged its allies to purge Huawei and other Chinese gear from their networks. The bill also includes provisions aimed at China, such as requiring reports on Chinese efforts to evade US national security regulations and intelligence assessments of the country’s biotechnology capabilities.
The program aims to replace equipment in the networks of 126 carriers, with the help of up to $500 million for regional tech hubs. Funding will be covered by funds generated from a one-time spectrum auction by the FCC for advanced wireless spectrum.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-vote-provide-3-billion-remove-chinese-telecoms-equipment-2024-12-08