US communications watchdog seeks to accelerate removal of Huawei, ZTE equipment by rural carriers

The US government’s communications watchdog said on Wednesday that it is seeking ways to allow more rural telecommunications carriers to tap a federal fund to help them accelerate theremoval and replacement of equipment made by Chinese companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in its first open meeting since US President Joe Biden took office, said that it proposed to increase the number of rural carriers eligible to tap the reimbursement funds on national security grounds and sought to expand uptake.