The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted new rules aimed at accelerating the deployment of secure submarine cable systems while strengthening oversight of critical network infrastructure. The Commission’s Second Report and Order streamlines licensing for trusted submarine cable operators, introduces new security requirements for submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE), and updates safeguards designed to protect one of the world’s most important communications assets. The action, approved on June 25, 2026, continues the agency’s broader effort to modernize submarine cable regulations for the first time in more than two decades.
The new framework creates a presumptive exemption from Team Telecom review for qualifying submarine cable applications. Today, virtually every submarine cable license application is referred to the Executive Branch’s Team Telecom interagency review process for national security evaluation. Under the new rules, applicants with strong operational records, demonstrated compliance with stringent national security requirements, and commitments to ongoing monitoring may bypass that review, reducing licensing uncertainty and accelerating deployment timelines. The FCC said the changes will help support growing international connectivity demands driven by cloud computing, hyperscale data centers, and artificial intelligence while maintaining robust national security protections.
The Commission also established a new licensing requirement for owners and operators of submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE), the systems that terminate submarine fiber-optic cables and connect them to U.S. terrestrial networks. The FCC described SLTE as one of the most critical and potentially vulnerable components of international cable infrastructure. Additional safeguards adopted in the order address risks associated with principal equipment, third-party service providers, and other supply chain security concerns. The action builds on the Commission’s August 2025 submarine cable rulemaking, which represented the first comprehensive modernization of submarine cable regulations in 25 years.
• FCC adopted the Second Report and Order (FCC 26-42) on June 25, 2026.
• Qualifying submarine cable applications may receive a presumptive exemption from Team Telecom review.
• Applicants must certify compliance with enhanced national security standards and accept ongoing oversight.
• New licensing requirements now apply to submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE).
• Updated security rules address equipment suppliers, third-party service providers, and other infrastructure risks.
• The FCC says the changes will accelerate deployment while strengthening national security.
• Action was approved by Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioners Anna Gomez and Olivia Trusty.
• Proceeding: OI Docket No. 24-523.
“The new rules adopted today will speed up the rollout of submarine cables—the backbone and unsung heroes of the global internet. They also support the essential capacity for the increasing computing demands and connectivity for artificial intelligence.”
