The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to vote on May 22 regarding a rule that would prevent Chinese laboratories deemed national security risks from testing electronic devices for the US.

This could impact the testing of smartphones, cameras, and computers.

All electronics sold in the US must go through the FCC’s equipment authorization process.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said that the rule aims to reduce vulnerabilities in national security by ensuring only trusted laboratories conduct testing.

In November 2022, the FCC prohibited the approval of new telecommunications and surveillance equipment from companies like Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision. FCC staff estimate that around 75% of electronics are currently tested in laboratories in China.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ The FCC’s expanding role from technical regulator to national security guardian

The FCC’s move to bar Chinese labs from testing U.S. electronics represents a significant evolution in the agency’s mission beyond its traditional technical oversight role.

This continues a pattern that began with the FCC’s 2022 ban on equipment from Huawei, ZTE, and other Chinese manufacturers deemed security threats, which marked a pivotal shift toward addressing national security concerns 1.

The FCC’s role has transformed dramatically since its establishment in 1934 as a technical regulator focused on preventing harmful interference and ensuring universal service 2.

Today’s FCC increasingly functions as a defender against perceived foreign technological threats, making decisions based on security considerations rather than purely technical compliance issues.

This reflects how U.S. telecommunications regulation has become intertwined with broader national security policy, with the FCC chair describing the testing lab rule as closing a “potential loophole in our national security process.”

2️⃣ A critical but overlooked link in the technology supply chain

Testing laboratories represent a crucial but often invisible checkpoint in bringing electronics to market, with every device requiring FCC authorization through verification, declaration of conformity, or certification 3.

The FCC’s estimate that 75% of electronics are tested in China-based labs reveals a significant potential vulnerability in the technology supply chain that has largely escaped public attention until now.