FCC Plans to Ban World's Largest Mobile Operator from US National Security Concerns

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced its intention to prevent China Mobile, the largest telecommunications company in mainland China, from offering services to the United States. The effort comes under the leadership of the White House and is yet to be approved at the 9 May FCC meeting.

"The protection of our communications networks is critical to our national security," FCC President Ajit Pai said in a statement released this afternoon. "Having examined the evidence presented in this proceeding, including information provided by other federal agencies, it is clear that China Mobile's request to provide telecommunications services in our country poses significant and serious risks. for national security and law enforcement. "

"Therefore, I do not believe that approving it would be in the public interest," added Pai. "I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the rejection of China Mobile's candidacy."

China Mobile Ltd. Belongs to the Chinese government and currently has more than 928 million subscribers in Mainland China. Despite a significant presence in his home country, the company has a relatively small footprint abroad, including a Pakistani service and a limited presence in the United Kingdom. China Mobile did not immediately respond to Gizmodo's request for comment.

The Chinese telecommunications company initially applied for a US operating license in 2011, but has faced obstacles from the start. China Mobile's lawyer even wrote a letter to the FCC in 2013 stating that this "extreme delay" was hurting his business chances in the United States.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which reports to the US Department of Commerce, issued a statement in July 2018 in which it advised the FCC to reject China Mobile's application.

The decision comes in the wake of the widespread ban on technology products on the other side of the Iron Firewall, for reasons of espionage. The US department has charged the Chinese giant Huawei information technology with fraud, obstruction of justice and theft of trade secrets in January. Huawei responded in March against his own complaint against the US government. And the Russian security company Kaspersky has been banned from providing telecommunication equipment to the US government.

All technology bans based in the United States relate to fears that the Russian and Chinese governments will gain privileged access to data from US and US companies by exerting pressure on companies like China Mobile or Kaspersky. In recent months, Huawei executives have responded to these criticisms by pointing out that US intelligence agencies routinely demand compliance through elements such as the CLOUD ACT. Adopted in 2018, the law allows law enforcement agencies to require US technology companies to provide information if they obtain a warrant.

Huawei's current president, Guo Ping, went further on the Mobile World Congress scene in February, provoking revelations by Edward Snowden that the NSA was collecting a ton of US data before the US government. .

"Prism, prism on the wall, who is the most worthy of all?" Guo said on stage, displaying the logo of the NSA's controversial PRISM program. "It's an important question. And if you do not understand that, you can go ask Edward Snowden. "

Another day, another battle on technology in the new cold war. All we know is that these nationalistic battles against technology will become much more intense over time.

[FCC]