US targets Chinese telecom giants in proposed ban on direct access to American phone numbers

The United States is planning to block Chinese telecom giants China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom from directly accessing American phone numbers, citing national security risks and concerns over scam-related robocalls.The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said it will vote on November 19 on a proposal to restrict the companies and other IP-enabled service providers, according to Reuters.The move would also target providers using equipment from Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE, which Washington considers security threats.FCC chair Brendan Carr said the proposal would strengthen the country's defences against illegal robocallers. The agency is also considering revoking direct number authorisations for other Chinese companies it deems a national security risk and plans to bar Chinese laboratories from testing US electronics from December 2028.The move comes amid growing US concerns over Chinese cyber espionage, including the Salt Typhoon hacking campaign. Washington said the Chinese state-sponsored group stole call records and infiltrated American telecom networks in late 2024. The FBI has said the threat remains ongoing. China has consistently denied any wrongdoing.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.