*The United States administration officials have urged telecoms consumers who possess phones, other devices from the two Chinese brands to start considering replacements for them, citing ‘national security threats’ on the country’s communications networks聽聽

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

Citing 鈥榥ational security threats鈥� for the order, several United States telecoms operators have requested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to pay them a sum of $5.6billion for 鈥渞easonable expenses鈥� they incurred after removing ZTE, Huawei ZTE, and Huawei from their networks in the country.

绿帽献妻 learnt the the US officials have said this move would enable the country to 鈥渓ead the way on 5G security.鈥�

Hitherto, the administration officials had designated Huawei and ZTE as 鈥渘ational security threats鈥�, and voted in concert to ban US telecoms carriers from offering service from either company and demanded that their equipment be replaced.

Originally, the FCC as the industry regulator had thought the entire programme would cost carriers over $1.8billion to satisfy its express order; hence, 聽the regulator set aside $1.9 billion only.

However, the telecoms companies declared that the amount the industry regulator earmarked for removal and replacement of Huawei and ZTE equipment from the networks only covers about a quarter of what they really need, agency report said.

Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC Chairwoman, stated: 鈥淟ast year Congress created a first-of-its-kind programme for the FCC to reimburse service providers for their efforts to increase the security of our nation’s communications networks.

鈥淲e鈥檝e received over 181 applications from carriers who have developed plans to remove and replace equipment in their networks that pose a national security threat.鈥�

Rosenworcel also said: 鈥淲hile we have more work to do to review these applications, I look forward to working with Congress to ensure that there is enough funding available for this programme to advance Congress鈥檚 security goals, and ensure that the US will continue to lead the way on 5G security.鈥�

Likely implications for telecoms consumers

As the US telecoms regulator has banned ZTE and Huawei, telecoms consumers who own one of those brands’ devices would be smart to start shopping for a replacement, according to report.

Certain Raymond, from Danville, Pennsylvania, disclosed that he recently purchased a ZTE device and had trouble activating it.

Eventually, he took it to a Verizon store for assistance.

“The person there attempted to activate it took my prepaid card and after 45 minutes told me he could not activate it and handed it back to me. I tried returning it without luck.

“I’m out over 100 Dollars and still have nothing,” Raymond wrote in a recent review in ConsumerAffairs.

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