FCC to Vote on Blocking China Mobile, Telecom, Unicom From US Numbers

The US Federal Communications Commission will vote on November 19 on a proposal to bar China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, along with other IP-enabled providers, from obtaining direct access to US telephone numbers. The measure sits at the intersection of two stories: Washington's escalating campaign against Chinese telecom firms and those same firms' expanding digital infrastructure across Africa.

The FCC frames the proposal as consumer protection. It aims to block scam-related robocalls and keep companies identified as security risks out of the US telecommunications system. FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the measure would strengthen the agency's "first line of defense against bad actors and illegal robocallers."

China's embassy in Washington sees it differently. The proposal "severely hinders normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and American businesses" and does not serve US companies or consumers, the embassy said, in comments reported by Reuters.

What comes before the November 19 vote?

The proposal continues a series of FCC actions against Chinese carriers stretching back nearly a decade.

• 2019: the commission rejected China Mobile's application to provide US telecommunications services
• 2021: it revoked China Telecom Americas' authorisation
• 2022: it withdrew China Unicom Americas' authorisation
• Since 2021: it has restricted authorisations for new Huawei equipment over threats to communications networks

The FCC also classified Huawei's telecommunications equipment as a national security risk. Huawei has disputed the allegations.

Hong Kong-based operator HKT has felt the same pressure. On October 30, 2026, the PCCW subsidiary agreed to end its US telecommunications operations after an FCC proceeding sought to revoke its authorisation on national security grounds. HKT, which has a shareholder connection to China Unicom, must discontinue its US services by September 1, 2027.

Washington's concerns have a named backdrop: the 2024 Salt Typhoon cyber-espionage campaign. US officials attributed the operation to a Chinese state-sponsored group accused of infiltrating telecom networks and stealing call records. Beijing has denied wrongdoing.

How do the African ventures fit in?

They do not, formally. The FCC proposal targets access to US telephone numbers, not the African projects. But the contrast between shrinking US presence and growing African footprint defines the commercial picture for China's three carrier giants.

In Nigeria, China Mobile International is partnering with 21st Century Technologies to build cloud computing and AI infrastructure using the Nigerian company's Lagos data centres. The June 2026 agreement covers locally hosted services, and deployment is already under way, BusinessDay reported.

In South Africa, China Telecom signed a memorandum of understanding with MTN and Huawei in November 2024. The three companies agreed to explore cooperation in 5G, cloud computing, AI and Internet of Things services, including applications for the mining sector.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China Unicom is exploring a national telecommunications satellite. Its subsidiary, Unicom Airnet, signed an MoU with the Congolese government in April 2026, though a final implementation contract has not been disclosed.

What happens after the vote?

If the FCC approves the measure on November 19, the three Chinese carriers will lose a remaining thread of direct connectivity to the US numbering system, tightening a squeeze that began with the 2019 China Mobile rejection. Their African partnerships in cloud, AI, 5G and satellite services, none of them affected by the US rules, will remain the growth side of the ledger.