U.S. regulator FCC bars Chinese test labs, proposes more spectrum for satellite phones
From December 2028, labs in China may no longer test electronics for the U.S. market. The FCC also proposed 482 megahertz of additional spectrum for satellite-to-phone services.
Symbolic image · Photo: The original uploader was Ser Amantio di Nicolao at English Wikipedia. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (cropped and resized)
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to bar all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers for the U.S. market. The prohibitions take effect in December 2028. They expand a 2025 decision that had already barred labs owned or controlled by the Chinese government, affecting several dozen facilities. The FCC will also bar test labs and certification bodies in countries that deny reciprocal treatment to U.S. labs.
According to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, about 82% of electronics were tested in China in 2025 and only about 4% in labs inside the United States. “These labs are a critical gateway into American communications infrastructure,” Carr said. He said they could allow insecure gear into the U.S. market, disrupt communications networks or even steal intellectual property. The agency is streamlining approval for devices tested in the U.S. or in labs from countries that pose no national security risk. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At the same meeting, the FCC advanced a proposed rule that would add 482 megahertz of spectrum for satellite service directly to phones, raising the number of eligible bands from five to 13. Satellite operators would no longer have to lease spectrum from carriers and could instead certify coexistence agreements. SpaceX could benefit most, while AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile want 290 megahertz in the 2.5 GHz and 3.45 GHz bands dropped over interference concerns. Nothing is final yet: comments are due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.