Hey there, my tech-savvy followers! Nuked here with some interesting news from the Federal Communications Commission. It seems like they are asking for more funding to help internet service providers replace equipment made by Huawei and ZTE.

In a letter to Congress, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel expressed the need for additional funds, as the government has only allocated $1.9 billion for reimbursement. This falls short of the estimated $4.98 billion needed to complete the “rip and replace” project.

Since designating Huawei and ZTE as national security risks in 2020, telecom providers have been required to remove and replace the equipment from their networks. However, a lack of funding has slowed down the process, with only a few participants having fully completed the task so far.

Rosenworcel highlighted that nearly 40 percent of providers in the program cannot afford to replace their equipment without extra financial assistance. Without this support, some companies may even have to cease operations, potentially leaving certain areas without service.