By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – China Telecom (NYSE 🙂 announced Wednesday that it will continue to provide some services in the United States after a U.S. regulator revoked the authorization for the company to operate telecommunications within the country. The reason? National security.

In October, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted to cancel authorization. According to the FCC, China Telecom (Americas), (CTA), “is susceptible to exploitation and influence by China government.”

The company wrote to the FCC stating that the services they intend to keep do not come under an FCC order prohibiting common carrier operations. CTA claimed that these services are private carriers.

CTA’s mobile service is offered to customers under “CTExcel” brand. FCC stated that CTExcel users must change to another provider before Jan.

CTA spokesperson Wednesday said that company would continue its private carrier operations in the U.S. following the deadline of January 3.

CTA filed an emergency petition to stop FCC orders earlier in the month. However, it was denied by a federal appels court.

A lawyer representing China Telecom (Americas), Jessica Rosenworcel, wrote Monday to the FCC Chairwoman and was made public Wednesday. She stated that the FCC had rejected her requests for a meeting and that the company intended to continue certain services after January 3.

“Absent the FCC’s final factual determination, decision,” the company will continue to provide some services “on an private carrier basis…to honor its contractual obligations and prevent undue disruption of its customers operations.”

Rosenworcel’s office didn’t immediately respond to our request for comment.

China Telecom had over 335,000,000 subscribers in 2019, after it was granted authorization for U.S. Telecommunications Services services 20 years ago. The company also offers services to the United States’ Chinese government facilities.

FCC initiated efforts in March to revoke China Unicom (NYSE 🙂 Americas Pacific Networks’ authorization to use its subsidiary ComNet and wholly owned subsidiary ComNet for U.S. telecommunications.