US House to vote to provide $4 billion to remove Chinese telecoms equipment
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It is set to vote on a Bill to remove equipment made by Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE from US wireless networks to address security risks.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives is set to vote next week on an annual defence Bill that includes just over US$3 billion (S$4 billion) for US telecoms companies to remove equipment made by Chinese telecoms companies Huawei and ZTE from American wireless networks to address security risks.
The 1,800-page text was released late on Dec 7 and includes other provisions aimed at China, including requiring a report on Chinese efforts to evade US national security regulations and an intelligence assessment of the current status of China’s biotechnology capabilities.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has said removing the insecure equipment is estimated to cost US$4.98 billion, but Congress previously only approved US$1.9 billion for the “rip and replace” programme.
Washington has aggressively urged US allies to purge Huawei and other Chinese gear from their wireless networks.
FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel last week again called on the US Congress to provide urgent additional funding, saying the programme to replace equipment in the networks of 126 carriers faces a US$3.08 billion shortfall “putting both our national security and the connectivity of rural consumers who depend on these networks at risk”.
She has warned that the lack of funding could result in some rural networks shutting down, which “could eliminate the only provider in some regions” and could threaten 911 service.
Competitive Carriers Association chief executive Tim Donovan on Dec 7 praised the announcement, saying “funding is desperately needed to fulfil the mandate to remove and replace covered equipment and services while maintaining connectivity for tens of millions of Americans”.
In 2019, Congress told the FCC to require US telecoms carriers that receive federal subsidies to purge their networks of Chinese telecoms equipment. The White House in 2023 asked for US$3.1 billion for the programme.
Senate Commerce Committee chairwoman Maria Cantwell said funding for the programme and up to US$500 million for regional tech hubs will be covered by funds generated from a one-time spectrum auction by the FCC for advanced wireless spectrum in the band known as AWS-3 to help meet rising spectrum demands of wireless consumers. REUTERS
