Authorization under Section 214 of the Communications Act that common carriers need to provide interstate or international telecommunications service, or to discontinue it.
Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires telecommunications carriers to obtain FCC authorization before constructing, operating, or discontinuing certain services. For domestic interstate service, the FCC grants blanket authority, so most carriers do not need to file an application. International service is different: a carrier must apply for and receive an international Section 214 authorization.
International applications can be referred to executive branch agencies for national security and law enforcement review, particularly where foreign ownership is involved. The FCC has also used its Section 214 powers to revoke authorizations it considers a security risk. Authorizations can be conditioned on mitigation agreements that commit the carrier to specific security practices, and those commitments are monitored over time.
Transfers of control, assignments, and discontinuance of service also generally require FCC approval or notice under Section 214. Interconnected VoIP providers are subject to discontinuance rules even though their regulatory classification differs from traditional carriers. Providers often discover gaps only during due diligence for a sale or financing, so periodically confirming which authorizations are held, in which entity, and under what conditions is worthwhile.
Why it matters to carriers
Carriers that route international traffic or plan acquisitions need to know whether their Section 214 status is in order, because gaps can delay transactions and draw enforcement. Ownership changes, in particular, are easy to overlook until a deal is about to close or a regulator asks.