What just happened? The FCC has voted unanimously to move forward with a proposal that would bar all labs in China and Hong Kong from testing and certifying electronic devices for sale in the United States. The agency says the measure is about national security, but it could create a major headache for hardware makers that rely on Chinese facilities to approve everything from smartphones and laptops to routers, cameras, and smart home devices.
Any product that emits radio frequencies must pass through the FCC's equipment authorization process before it can be legally imported or sold in the US. That includes the obvious stuff like phones, tablets, PCs, Wi-Fi routers, along with the growing number of gadgets that insist on adding Bluetooth or Wi-Fi whether they need it or not.
The FCC says roughly 75% of US electronics are currently tested in China. That figure was central to the agency's earlier "Bad Labs" push, which targeted testing facilities owned, controlled, or directed by companies on the FCC's Covered List, such as Huawei and ZTE. FCC Chair Brendan Carr argued that allowing potentially untrustworthy labs to certify equipment for the US market created an obvious loophole.
This latest proposal goes much further. Rather than focusing only on labs linked to blacklisted companies or foreign adversary governments, it would remove all Chinese and Hong Kong-based labs from the FCC certification pipeline. The commission also wants to create a faster approval process for products tested in US labs or in countries not considered national security risks.
Reports note that 126 of the FCC's 591 recognized test labs are located in mainland China or Hong Kong, with 50 in Shenzhen alone. Many labs of these labs sit close to the factories where the devices are built, making testing cheaper and faster.
The change could also become more expensive. Chinese labs reportedly charge around $400 to $1,300 for basic FCC testing, while US equivalents can cost $3,000 to $4,000. Large companies such as Apple, Samsung, Sony, and LG will likely be able to reroute work to labs elsewhere, but smaller manufacturers could face longer waits, higher compliance costs, and delayed US launches.
The vote does not make the ban immediate. It opens a public comment period, expected to last 60 to 90 days before the FCC issues a final rule and transition timeline.
Beijing, unsurprisingly, is not pleased. China's Commerce Ministry accused the US of discriminatory restrictions and warned it would take necessary measures if the proposal is implemented.
For consumers, the devices themselves are not being banned. But if certification becomes slower and more expensive, some of that cost could eventually show up on store shelves at a time when prices are already high.