House Report Says Chinese Telecoms Retain U.S. Footholds Despite FCC Actions
Summary
A bipartisan House investigation says China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom retained U.S. network footholds after FCC actions, and examines their links to Salt Typhoon and other incidents. It recommends stronger FCC powers and more cybersecurity resources.
Key points
- The 49-page investigation found that FCC license denials and revocations did not force the three carriers to remove equipment or end business ties with U.S. telecom and technology firms.
- The committee said the carriers retained hardware, interconnection agreements and data-center footholds, and continued activities including routing customer data and managing VPNs.
- The report traced the companies’ ownership to Chinese state-owned enterprises and said Chinese-manufactured equipment remained in U.S. networks.
- The report linked the carriers to cybersecurity incidents, including internet-routing incidents that misdirected traffic to PRC-controlled networks; it said some incidents may have been accidental.
- The committee found technical data tying hacking incidents to China Mobile’s infrastructure but did not conclude that China Mobile directly participated in the Salt Typhoon campaign.
- The investigation cited China Unicom’s links to Integrity Tech and corporate partnership with i-SOON, companies accused by the U.S. government of involvement in hacking activity.
- The report urges stronger FCC authority, action to remove Chinese technology from U.S. infrastructure, and more funding for federal cybersecurity expertise.
Article Details
- Publisher
- therecord.media
- Report Period
- The investigation covers incidents over the preceding decade; company-official interviews were conducted in September 2025.
- Scope
- U.S. infrastructure footholds and cybersecurity links of China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom.
- Sample Size
- 49-page investigation; eight interviews with company officials.
- Key Statistics
- The investigation covered three Chinese telecommunications carriers: China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom.
- The Salt Typhoon hack affected at least nine U.S. telecommunications companies, according to the article.
- The carriers' U.S. telecommunications licenses were denied or revoked between 2019 and 2022.
- The committee conducted eight interviews with company officials in September 2025.
- Recommendations
- Strengthen FCC authority to limit the companies' ability to operate in the United States.
- Use rip-and-replace measures to remove Chinese technology from U.S. infrastructure.
- Increase federal-agency funding to hire experts with technical cyber-threat expertise.
People
John MoolenaarSelect Committee Chairman who said the companies posed a threat because they were beholden to the Chinese Communist Party.Ro KhannaRanking member of the committee who said the report highlighted risks to Americans' data and the need to resource agencies protecting communications networks.
Threat Actors
Vendors
China MobileA bipartisan House investigation says China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom remain embedded in the U.S.China TelecomA bipartisan House investigation says China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom remain embedded in the U.S.China UnicomA bipartisan House investigation says China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom remain embedded in the U.S.