FCC Threatens China Mobile With Fines
Telecom company accused of showing ‘a disregard for the Commission’s authority’
WASHINGTON, June 24, 2025 – The Federal Communications Commission warned China Mobile it could face financial penalties – up to $25,132 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation – if it fails to respond to an FCC inquiry concerning its compliance with U.S. laws and ties to the Chinese government.
The warning followed China Mobile’s failure to reply to a Supplemental Letter of Inquiry issued on February 26, 2025, by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau.
China Mobile International USA Inc., a Chinese state-owned telecommunications company based in San Jose, Calif., has been under scrutiny in recent years. In 2019, the FCC unanimously denied the company’s application to offer international telecommunications services in the U.S., citing concerns regarding national security.
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At that time, the Commission declared China Mobile was “indirectly owned and controlled by the Chinese government, [making it] vulnerable to its exploitation, influence, and control,” and said it “would likely comply with espionage and intelligence requests made by the Chinese government.”
In its most recent order on June 16, the FCC pressed down harder on China Mobile, stating:
“China Mobile’s conduct throughout this matter exhibits a disregard for the Commission’s authority and threatens to compromise the Commission’s ability to adequately investigate violations of the Act and its rules. Such misconduct inhibits our ability to detect and deter potential rule and statutory violations and wastes valuable Commission resources. Such misconduct is particularly concerning in the context of national security, where the Commission’s responsibilities are most acute.”
The FCC has given China Mobile 30 days to respond, either through a written statement, a teleconference interview, or a personal interview at a nearby FCC Field Office.
This order comes amid rising skepticism around Chinese-government affiliated companies in Washington. Last year, Congress passed legislation requiring the Chinese parent company of TikTok to either divest or face a nationwide ban. However, on June 19, President Donald Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcement of the ban by 90 days.
China Mobile has yet to publicly respond to the FCC’s June 16 order.
