FCC to Ban Chinese Telecom Firms From Direct Access to US Phone Numbers

 

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said it will vote on Nov. 19 on a proposal to bar China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, and other IP-enabled service providers from direct access to U.S. phone numbers [1].

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the decision would strengthen the agency's first line of defense against bad actors and illegal robocallers [11].

FCC Proposal and Scope

Direct access is described as a cheaper option for Voice over Internet Protocol providers and makes it easier for them to offer advanced calling features. The agency said it may also revoke direct number authorizations for Chinese companies it deems to pose national security risks [1].

The FCC has previously barred China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom from providing international telecommunications services to the United States.

How the agency polices access to numbering resources has long been a contested area of telecommunications regulation. Research on the economics of open access describes how rival access regimes in broadband emerged following the 1996 Telecom Act, when local exchange carriers were required to share network elements with competitors.

https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-11-07-fcc-to-ban-chinese-telecom-access-phone-numbers.html