The FCC delays new security checks for telecom equipment indefinitely

The US communications regulator has indefinitely postponed new security requirements for companies that certify telecom equipment. This means that companies certifying phones and other devices for sale in the US do not have to prove they are free from foreign control.

The US government has been trying to remove untrusted foreign equipment from its telecom networks for years. This rule was supposed to add a layer of security by vetting the companies that certify equipment. Delaying it means that the existing system, which has been criticized for security gaps, will remain in place for the foreseeable future.