Data / Federal rules / 2025-19658
Review of Submarine Cable Landing License Rules and Procedures To Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks
The Federal Communications Commission published this final rule in the Federal Register on October 27, 2025. It took effect on November 26, 2025.
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What the agency says
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopted a Report and Order that updates the Commission's submarine cable licensing process and adopts rule changes to protect critical U.S. communications infrastructure against foreign adversary threats, specifically those posed by an entity that is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary. The Report and Order adopts a requirement for certain licensees to file an annual report about the licensee, submarine cable system ownership, and submarine cable operations. The Report and Order adopts a one-time information collection for licensees to identify, among other things, how many entities currently own or operate submarine line terminal equipment (SLTEs) on existing licensed cable systems. The Report and Order also requires applicants and licensees to certify that they have created, updated, and implemented a cybersecurity and physical security risk management plan and requires applicants to certify that the submarine cable system will not use equipment or services identified on the Commission's Covered List. With respect to the circuit capacity data collection, the Report and Order adopts streamlined rules and eliminates the requirement for licensees to file a cable operator report about the capacity on a cable and clarify the types of capacity that need to be reported on an annual basis.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2025-19658
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Final rule
- Agency
- Federal Communications Commission
- Published
- October 27, 2025
- Takes effect
- November 26, 2025
- Dates
- These rules are effective November 26, 2025, except for amendatory instructions 6 (Sec. 1.767), 7 (Sec. 1.768), 10 (Sec. 1.70002), 11 (Sec. 1.70003), 12 (Sec. Sec. 1.70005 and 1.70006), 13 (Sec. 1.70007), 14 (Sec. Sec. 1.70008 and 1.70009), 15 (Sec. Sec. 1.70011 through 1.70013), 16 (Sec. 1.70016), 17 (Sec. 1.70017), 18 (Sec. 1.70020), 19 (Sec. Sec. 1.70023 and 1.70024), and 22 (Sec. 43.82), which are indefinitely delayed. The One-Time Information Collection will also be indefinitely delayed. The Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of these
- Docket
- OI Docket No. 24-523, MD Docket No. 24-524; FCC 25-49; FR ID 311064
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 47 CFR 0; 47 CFR 1; 47 CFR 43
- Topics
- Communications; Communications common carriers; Communications equipment; Cuba; Internet; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Security measures; Telecommunications
- Pages
- 56
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Everything from the Federal Communications Commission · Rules on communications · Rules on communications common carriers · Rules on communications equipment · Published in October 2025
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