Can China’s 5G smart Gateway be used in the United States?

Whether China’s 5G smart gateway can be used in the United States needs to be discussed on a case-by-case basis. The core obstacles lie in US policy restrictions, frequency band differences and certification requirements.

China’s 5G smart gateway is sold and used in the United States

The specific analysis is as follows:

I. Policy restrictions: The United States’ comprehensive blockade of China’s 5G equipment

1. Equipment procurement ban
   In June 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States announced that it would suspend the approval of 5G equipment procurement applications from Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, and proposed to prohibit the subsequent maintenance services of authorized equipment. This policy directly led to the inability of China’s 5G smart gateway to enter the US market through official channels. Even if the equipment has been produced and meets technical standards, it may face the dilemma of being unable to be deployed due to policy risks.
2. Security doubts and double standards
   The United States has long suppressed China’s 5G equipment on the grounds of “security backdoors”, but it has been exposed to use supply chain attacks to monitor the world. For example, Huawei obtained access to Germany, France and other countries through a “no-spy agreement” and source code review, while the United States still insisted on the blockade, exposing its intention of technological hegemony.

II. Technical differences: incompatibility between frequency bands and network architecture

1. Frequency band allocation conflict

• China: Mainly uses the Sub-6GHz frequency band (wide coverage, low cost), has built more than 2 million 5G base stations, and the coverage rate has reached 93%.
• United States: Due to the military occupying the Sub-6GHz frequency band, it is forced to turn to the high frequency band (24-52GHz), but the propagation range is small and the construction cost is high, resulting in a coverage rate of only 65%. Although the US military has given up part of the C band (4-8GHz) for civilian use, the signal coverage is still weaker than the Chinese solution.
• Impact: If the Chinese 5G smart gateway is not optimized for the high frequency band in the United States, it may not be able to access the local network due to frequency band mismatch.

1. Network architecture differences

• China: Adopts a distributed architecture, with strong flexibility and scalability, and supports large-scale IoT device access.
• United States: Adopts a centralized architecture, which reduces complexity, but is limited in coverage and device capacity.
• Impact: Architectural differences may cause the gateway to be incompatible with the US operator network protocol, requiring additional adaptation and development.

III. Certification barriers: Necessary thresholds for entering the US market

1. PTCRB/GCF certification
   US operators require 5G devices to pass PTCRB (North America) or GCF (Europe) certification to ensure interoperability with the network. The certification process includes tests such as RF performance and protocol consistency. Devices that fail to pass certification may frequently disconnect from the network or be unable to connect to the network.
2. FCC mandatory certification
   All electronic devices must pass FCC certification to prove compliance with electromagnetic compatibility, safety and other standards. If China’s 5G smart gateway does not obtain FCC certification, it cannot be sold in the United States even if the technology meets the standards.

China’s 5G smart gateway is selling well in the United States

IV. Actual cases and alternatives

1. Huawei smart devices are restricted
   Huawei HiLink smart devices (such as smart gateways) rely on Huawei cloud management. Due to the US blockade of Huawei cloud services, such devices cannot be used in the United States. Similarly, other Chinese brand 5G smart gateways may face the same problem if they rely on domestic cloud platforms.
2. Alternative solution recommendations

• Enterprise users: If you need to establish a connection between the Chinese 5G smart gateway and the US network, you can consider using a VPN or dedicated line service, but you must comply with US data cross-border transmission regulations.
• Personal users: It is recommended to choose local brand devices that have passed US certification (such as iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy S21 that support C-band) to avoid compatibility issues.

Conclusion

China’s 5G smart gateway is currently difficult to use normally in the United States. The main reasons include:

1. US policies block Chinese 5G devices;
2. Differences in frequency band allocation and network architecture between China and the United States lead to technical incompatibility;
3. Lack of US operator certification and FCC access permits.

If the United States relaxes restrictions in the future or Chinese manufacturers launch customized products for the US market (such as supporting high frequency bands and passing PTCRB certification), the possibility of use may increase.

However, in the short term, users need to give priority to local compatible devices to ensure network connection stability. If you need a Chinese IoT solution, please contact us for cooperation. If you need to cooperate in advertising on our website, please also consult us.