In November of this year, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a ban on the import and sale of new technologies from the following Chinese telecommunications and surveillance firms:

Huawei Technology Company
ZTE Corporation
Hytera Communications Corporation
Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or
Dahua Technology Company

This most recent FCC action was a furtherance of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) prohibitions, and an implementation of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 directives against these same Chinese companies’ technologies being installed on U.S. Government properties. There has been a lot of conflicting reporting about this in the media since the FCC announcement.

The FCC did not issue a blanket ban on technologies from these five companies. The ban specifically applies to “new” technologies from these companies unless they can assure that the devices “won’t be used for public safety, security of government facilities, and other national security purposes,” according to the FCC. Existing equipment listed under the FCC’s “Covered List” is not affected, but the FCC did say it is possible existing authorizations could be revoked in the future.

For many years, DilSe.IT has installed Hikvision surveillance cameras and network video recorders (NVRs) at our client sites. Hikvision offers outstanding, commercial-grade equipment at a value-driven price point. We continue to believe, based on everything we’ve seen, that Hikvision equipment is safe and effective for private business use.

The ban on surveillance equipment from these Chinese companies stems from cyber-security concerns and the ongoing trade war with China. Virtually every surveillance system manufacturer, regardless of national origin, discovers periodic security weaknesses. Hikvision has always been prompt in releasing firmware updates to address vulnerabilities and DilSe.IT has quickly applied these updates at client sites.

In addition, DilSe.IT installs our clients’ surveillance systems on a separate, segmented network which prevents access to any other network traffic. We also follow best security practices by setting custom NVR access passwords for admins and other users.

We continue to stand behind the value-to-cost ratio and safety of Hikvision equipment, as well as our installation best practices for our private business clients. As of now, the FCC’s import and sales restrictions only apply to newly produced equipment from these companies. Existing models, which have already received import and sale authorizations, are not impacted by the ban. With that said, DilSe.IT is currently evaluating alternative manufacturers from which to source surveillance equipment should prior authorizations be revoked in the future.

As we always say, our “why” is in our name. Dil Se is Hindi for “With Love”, and this motto extends to the trust you place in us to install and maintain your surveillance equipment. We will continue pursuing a balanced approach that considers initial cost, functionality, reliability, and safety when recommending IT systems to our clients. We will be fully transparent with our clients on this issue and will continue providing updates in real-time. Please feel free to reach out to us at sales@dilse.it with any questions or concerns. #FCC #SurveillanceSystems #Hikvision #DilSe