The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated a review of its submarine cable licensing rules for the first time since 2001, reflecting advancements in technology and evolving national security concerns. Submarine cables are critical to global communications and economic activity, carrying over 5.3 million Gbps of available capacity as of December 2022, with planned growth to 6.8 million Gbps in 2024. The FCC’s action aims to modernize the rules governing this infrastructure to ensure security and efficiency in deployment.
The review, adopted as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeks input on several key changes. These include introducing a three-year periodic reporting requirement for cable landing licensees and potentially shortening the current 25-year license term. Other proposals focus on streamlining application processes, enhancing security reviews in collaboration with federal entities such as Team Telecom and the State Department, and improving data collection on ownership, control, and circuit capacity. The FCC also plans to strengthen information-sharing mechanisms to bolster infrastructure resilience.
This initiative builds on the FCC’s broader efforts to enhance telecommunications security. Recent actions include proposed rules for renewing international telecommunications authorizations, improving BGP routing security, establishing an IoT cybersecurity labeling program, and managing a “Covered List” to restrict the use of equipment posing national security risks. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the importance of keeping regulatory frameworks in line with technological and geopolitical changes, stating, “Our submarine cables underpin global connectivity and require modernized oversight to remain secure and reliable.”
Key Points:
• FCC begins first submarine cable licensing review in over 20 years.
• Proposals include three-year reporting requirements, shorter license terms, and enhanced application rules.
• Collaboration with federal partners aims to streamline processes and strengthen security.
• Data collection improvements focus on ownership, control, and capacity metrics.
• Builds on FCC actions for broader telecom security, including BGP routing and IoT cybersecurity.
