The US House of Representatives is set to vote next week on an annual defense bill that includes over $3 billion in funding for American telecom companies to remove equipment made by Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE from wireless networks, addressing national security concerns.
The 1,800-page bill, unveiled on Dec. 7, also mandates a report on Chinese efforts to circumvent US national security regulations and an intelligence assessment of China’s biotechnology capabilities.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has estimated the total cost of removing the Chinese equipment at $4.98 billion, but Congress had previously approved only $1.9 billion for the “rip and replace” program, leaving a $3.08 billion funding gap. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has warned that this shortfall threatens both national security and the connectivity of rural areas, where some networks may shut down, jeopardizing services like 911 emergency calls.
Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan commended the funding initiative, emphasizing its urgency for maintaining connectivity for millions of Americans.
Funding for the program and an additional $500 million for regional tech hubs is expected to come from a one-time FCC auction of advanced wireless spectrum in the AWS-3 band. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell highlighted that this approach will meet the rising spectrum demands of wireless consumers while addressing critical security issues.