FCC uses new covered list rules to ban two devices

The directory names companies that the FCC says are a threat to national security. Before the new rules, the FCC could not ban a lawful device only for parts from these companies.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on Thursday that it will not let two devices go into the US market. The devices are a wireless video transmitter and a dashboard camera. They use chips made by HiSilicon, a Huawei subsidiary. This is the first time that the new rules stop a device. The rules took effect on October 13. Huawei did not reply at this time to the FCC.

What is new

The new rules ban devices that have smart parts from companies on the covered list. The covered list is a public directory that the FCC keeps in a 2019 rule. HiSilicon is in the directory. The FCC says that HiSilicon sells its devices as “designed for the surveillance market”.

The proof

The FCC gave no test result for the two devices. The ban is for the maker of the chips. Chairman Brendan Carr called the devices possible spyware, which is software that spies.

What is not known

Huawei has not given its view. It is not known how many other devices have these chips.

Insight: Rules now reach the parts in a device

The FCC bans a device for the chips in it. The draft export rules of China also go to the parts: they control models above set limits. The two governments seem to move control from the device to its parts. A buyer must know the parts in a device. Look at the directory for new companies.