WASHINGTON MOVES TO RESTRICT CHINESE TELECOM GIANTS FROM DIRECT ACCESS TO US PHONE NUMBERS
October 31, 2026
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 31: The United States is preparing to impose further restrictions on Chinese telecommunications companies, proposing to prohibit major Chinese operators from obtaining direct access to American telephone numbers on national security grounds, in a move that could further intensify technological and economic tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it would vote on November 19 on a proposal targeting China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and other IP-enabled service providers. The proposed restrictions are intended to strengthen safeguards against fraudulent robocalls, telecommunications scams and potential misuse of American communications infrastructure.
The proposal particularly concerns Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, which transmit voice communications through broadband internet connections. Direct access to US telephone numbers allows these providers to offer services at lower costs and support advanced telecommunications features. The FCC's proposed restrictions would limit this access for the targeted companies.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the measure would strengthen the country's initial line of defence against illegal robocallers and other malicious actors. The agency has also announced plans to restrict IP-enabled service providers that use equipment manufactured by companies identified as national security risks, including Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturers Huawei and ZTE.
The proposed measures form part of a broader regulatory campaign against Chinese participation in American telecommunications and technology infrastructure. The FCC has previously prohibited China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom from providing international telecommunications services to the United States. Washington is also considering additional restrictions on their connections to American networks and the operation of their data centres within the country.
The FCC further announced plans to prohibit Chinese laboratories from testing electronic devices intended for the US market from December 2028. It may also revoke existing direct-number authorisations granted to Chinese companies considered security risks.
The developments follow allegations by Washington that a Chinese state-sponsored cyber-espionage group known as Salt Typhoon infiltrated American telecommunications infrastructure during 2024, obtaining consumer call records and other communications-related information. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has subsequently warned that the associated cyber threat remains ongoing. China has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to such allegations.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington criticised the proposed restrictions, arguing that they would seriously undermine normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and American businesses and would not serve the interests of either country's companies or consumers.
The proposed FCC decision represents another escalation in the wider US-China technology dispute, extending beyond telecommunications equipment to the regulation of telephone-number access, digital communications infrastructure, electronic testing and cross-border technology services. The November 19 vote will determine the next regulatory step in the proposed restrictions.