The agency reported that the US telecom regulator needs an additional $3 billion (about Rs 25,000) to remove the US network of equipment made by Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE, bringing the total cost to $4.9 billion (about Rs 40,000). Will go Congress on Friday.
“To fund all reasonable and supported cost estimates…, the reimbursement program would require $4.98 billion, which amounts to $3.08 billion,” Jessica Rosenworcel, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, said in a letter to Senator Maria Cantwell on Friday. Billion reflects the current shortfall.” , who is the chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transport.
Since Congress only appropriated $1.9 billion (about Rs 15,000 crore) to fund the removal process, companies would be reimbursed only about 40 percent of the cost, he said.
In 2019, Congress passed a law hiring the FCC to compel US telecommunications carriers that receive federal subsidies to purge their networks of telecommunications equipment posing a national security risk with the promise of reimbursement. Huh.
FCC Designated Huawei And ZTE In the form of threats, forcing US companies to pull out of $8.3 billion (about Rs 66,000 crore) of government funds to remove their gear or buy new equipment. However, Congress only appropriated $1.9 billion to fund the so-called “rip and replace” effort, raising questions about how effectively the eviction program would be implemented.
“In the absence of additional appropriations, the commission will implement the priority plan as specified by Congress,” Rosenworcel said in the letter.
Companies are not required to complete the work until reimbursement is received.
© Thomson Reuters 2022