FCC Denies China Mobile Telecom Services Application

The Federal Communications Commission denied China Mobile USA’s application to provide telecommunications services between the United States and foreign destinations. The action is the result of a careful review by the FCC and close consultation with Executive Branch agencies having expertise in national security and law enforcement. In the Memorandum Opinion and Order, the FCC finds that China Mobile USA has not demonstrated that its application for the authority to provide international telecommunications services is in the public interest. Specifically, after an extensive review of the record in this proceeding, the FCC finds that due to several factors related to China Mobile USA’s ownership and control by the Chinese government, grant of the application would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be addressed through a mitigation agreement between China Mobile and the federal government.