The interconnected nature of the tech world has led to unexpected repercussions in American communities due to the US government’s actions against Huawei.
In a small Pennsylvania town called South Canaan, residents spent five years working hard to finally secure access to high-speed internet. However, their efforts may now be in vain. LHTC Broadband is one of the few cable providers in South Canaan, and its CEO, Jim Kail, revealed that they had chosen to purchase broadband equipment from Huawei, a Chinese telecom company, due to its competitive prices and reliability. Kail expressed his frustration with the current trade war situation, which has put their operations at risk. “The product is very competitively priced. We decided to give it a shot in this new location. Now we’re caught into this, as you know, this trade war, whatever’s happening there,” Kail explained to Newsy.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken a strong stance against Huawei, proposing measures that would prevent businesses dealing with Huawei from accessing the Universal Service Fund (USF). The USF, despite being relatively unknown, plays a crucial role in funding rural broadband projects. Companies serving remote areas in the US that rely on Huawei for affordable deals may soon have to make a tough choice between losing access to funding or severing ties with the Chinese tech giant. The uncertainty surrounding the impact of the trade war on American businesses and consumers is a cause for concern, especially for communities like South Canaan that depend on such services.
