U.S. Telecoms Face $1.8 Billion Cost to Rid China Gear, FCC Says

U.S. telecom companies may need to spend more than $1.8 billion to replace their Chinese-made equipment by Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp., the Federal Communications Commission said.

Verizon Communications Inc., CenturyLink Inc. and smaller telecom companies appear to qualify for reimbursements totaling $1.6 billion for the replacement effort, the FCC said.

The agency is pushing companies to remove Huawei and ZTE gear from U.S. networks over fears that the Chinese government could use the equipment for espionage and sabotage. Chairman Ajit Pai wants Congress to approve funds to reimburse the U.S. companies.

The agency last year banned U.S. ...