A recent investigation has revealed that a Chinese surveillance balloon, which traversed the United States earlier this year, reportedly utilized an American internet provider for communication with China.

Two current and one former official from the Biden administration disclosed in a report by NBC News on Thursday that the vessel primarily utilized a U.S. internet service provider to receive navigational communications, as Fox News reported.

Internet Provider's Denial

The internet provider, not disclosed by NBC News, has refuted the allegations that it was a channel for the spy balloon's communications.

The company reached this conclusion after conducting an internal investigation and consulting with U.S. officials.

Technical Aspects of the Balloon's Communication

One official stated that the intercepted spy craft, brought down by the U.S. military near the South Carolina coast on Feb. 4, employed burst transmissions.

That is a high-bandwidth data collection method used to transmit information.

Additionally, the report mentioned that the Biden administration sought a secret authorization from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to gather intelligence on the aircraft as it traversed multiple states.

These officials explained that this authorization would have enabled the government to surveil the spycraft's communications throughout its mission.

Historical Context of China's Use of Commercial Networks

The report also touches upon China's history of covertly using commercial internet providers in various countries as alternative communication networks.

These encrypted networks are typically preferred for their enhanced security features.

In response, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu asserted to NBC News that the balloon was merely a weather balloon.

The representative asserted that the craft unintentionally entered U.S. airspace due to uncontrollable factors like the westerly winds and limited steering capabilities.

Contrasting Narratives and Concealment Allegations

Despite assurances from the Biden administration that the Chinese spy balloon did not gather and transmit sensitive data, an undisclosed phone call paints a differing scenario.

This call, which occurred on Jan. 27 between President Joe Biden's senior military advisor, Gen. Mark Milley, and Gen. Glen VanHerck of NORAD, suggests a different understanding of the balloon's capabilities.

NBC News reported that there was an initial intention to keep the balloon's existence hidden from both Congress and the public, a claim supported by various sources within and outside the administration.

One former senior U.S. official disclosed to NBC, "Before it was spotted publicly, there was the intention to study it and let it pass over and not ever tell anyone about it."

Contradicting this claim, a senior official from the Biden administration denied any attempts to hide the incident, emphasizing that the decision was guided by the need to protect sensitive intelligence capabilities.