More than $3 billion allocated to remove Chinese equipment from US wireless networks

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on an annual bill that would provide just over $3 billion for U.S. telecom companies to remove equipment made by Chinese telecoms companies Huawei and ZTE from U.S. wireless networks to address security risks, Reuters reported.

The 1,800-page text of the bill was released late Saturday and includes other provisions targeting China, including requiring a report on Chinese efforts to evade U.S. national security regulations and an intelligence assessment of the current state of China’s biotechnology capabilities.

The Federal Communications Commission has said the removal of the unsecured equipment would cost $4.98 billion, but Congress previously approved only $1.9 billion for the “removal and replacement” program.

The United States has strongly urged the removal of Huawei and other Chinese equipment from its wireless networks.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called on Congress again last week to provide urgent additional funding, saying the $3.08 billion shortfall in the replacement equipment program for 126 carriers’ networks was jeopardizing U.S. national security and the connectivity of rural consumers who rely on those networks. The lack of funding could lead to some rural networks shutting down, potentially eliminating the sole provider in some areas and threatening emergency services (911).

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