US telcos claim $5.6bn to switch out Chinese gear
February 7, 2022
The FCC says it has received $5.6 billion (€4.9bn) worth of refund requests for its Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Programme, as operators move to replace Huawei and ZTE infrastructure.
The FCC opened applications late October, and closed on January 28th, receiving 181 applications.
A total of $1.9 billion was originally allocated to the programme, started in 2020. The goal is to replace all equipment and services produced or provided by Huawei or ZTE before June 30th 2020.
The Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) said that the reimbursement programme was critical especially for smaller competitive carriers, often connecting rural areas.