# 2025-21001: FCC Declares War on Suspicious Chinese Phone Parts

2025-21001, Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through the Equipment Authorization Program, is a Federal Register rule from Federal Communications Commission published 2025-11-25, effective 2025-12-26; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21001
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-21001
- Title: Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through the Equipment Authorization Program
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Federal Communications Commission
- Citation: 90 FR 53227
- Published: 2025-11-25
- Effective: 2025-12-26
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

FCC Declares War on Suspicious Chinese Phone Parts

## Summary

The FCC is tightening rules to block certain communication devices that could threaten national security, especially those with modular transmitters. Starting December 26, 2025, companies can’t import or sell these risky devices anymore, and some previously approved gear will lose its green light. This change mainly affects manufacturers and sellers, aiming to keep our communications safe without causing big money headaches for small businesses.

## Abstract

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) clarifies that rules prohibiting authorization of covered equipment include modular transmitters and adopts a prohibition on authorization of devices that include modular transmitters that are covered equipment. The Commission also adopts a procedure to limit previously granted authorizations of covered equipment to prohibit the continued importation and marketing of such equipment. It further discusses the broad scope of the prohibition on authorization of equipment identified on the Covered List by clarifying the term "produced by" as used in the Commission's rules concerning covered equipment and clarifying the prohibition on modification to previously authorized covered equipment.

## Effects PRIA read

- Modular Transmitters Banned from Authorization: cost, medium. Starting December 26, 2025, the FCC prohibits equipment authorization for any modular transmitter that appears on the Covered List and for any product, host, or device that incorporates a modular transmitter that is covered equipment. The rule means devices using those covered modular transmitters…
- Stops Import/Marketing Of Previously Allowed Gear: cost, medium. The FCC will limit some previously granted authorizations so that covered equipment authorized earlier can no longer be imported or marketed in the U.S.; this limitation takes effect under the new rulemaking process. The Commission says it will apply these limits prospectively to stop the flow of n…
- Users Can Keep Using Existing Devices: benefit, medium. The FCC will allow people and organizations to continue using covered devices that were authorized before the rule changes; the new process specifically prohibits only future importation and marketing, not the ongoing operation of devices already in use. The Commission framed this as a way to avoid…

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## Sources
- [2025-21001 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/25/2025-21001/protecting-against-national-security-threats-to-the-communications-supply-chain-through-the)
- [2025-21001 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-11-25/pdf/2025-21001.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-20951, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-20951)
- [Next: 2025-21088, Discontinuation of International Surface Air Lift](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21088)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-21001 (as of 2026-06-11).