What it does The NPRM would amend 47 CFR § 63.01 to prevent Covered List entities from using blanket authority to construct, acquire, operate, or transmit over domestic lines. It asks whether excluded entities should instead file affirmative applications subject to possible Team Telecom review; how to revoke existing blanket authority; whether to impose a transition period; and whether to prohibit interconnection with entities whose authority is denied or revoked. It also seeks comment on extending restrictions to entities owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary, dealings with certain entities, and provision of communications services using unlicensed Part 15 equipment.

Who it affects The proposals principally affect Covered List entities and their affiliates and subsidiaries, domestic telecommunications carriers, interconnected providers, customers, and potentially small entities in wired, wireless, reseller, satellite, and other telecommunications industries. The FCC identifies possible compliance, switching, interconnection, and application costs but adopts no final restrictions in this notice.

Why it matters The proceeding would shift Covered List entities from automatic domestic section 214 entry to case-by-case review, using national-security determinations about covered equipment and services to scrutinize providers’ access to U.S. communications networks. It also explores limits on interconnection and unlicensed wireless operations, potentially broadening the FCC’s adjacent Covered List regime.

Key dates and numbers

• Adopted April 30, 2026; released May 1, 2026.
• Comments are due 30 days after Federal Register publication; replies are due 60 days after publication.
• The proposed rule would revise 47 CFR § 63.01(a), under Communications Act sections 1–4, 201, 214, 251, and 301–303.
• A six-month transition period is offered as one possible approach for revoking existing authority, not adopted as a requirement.