Carriers Ban Huawei, Questions Over TPG & Optus Relationship With Security Risk Company
First it was the USA, then Australia chose to dump Chinese Company Huawei from building out telecommunication structure for their 5G networks, now Canadian carriers have decided to blacklist the purchase of Huawei gear because of security concerns.
It’s also tipped that the UK is going to ban the purchase of Huawei telecommunication gear next week.
The big question now is how long it will take for both Optus and TPG who is set to merge with Vodafone to stop installing high risk Huawei routers into fibre networks.
Optus are also working alongside China Telecom who can access the Optus network and fibre pipe installs in Australia.
Overnight Vancouver-based telecom Telus said that they will use telecommunication equipment from Ericsson and Nokia to build its fifth-generation infrastructure. The same day, Bell Canada announced it has chosen Ericsson as its 5G device source.
Huawei pitched for both carriers.
Both Telus and Bell use Huawei equipment for portions of their current networks in the same way that Telstra, Optus and Vodafone are using high risk Huawei gear in their 4G networks.
Huawei executives in Australia recently admitted that they still have contracts with Telstra that run out this year.
Telus has up until now run a 5G research centre jointly with Huawei, but the Canadian carrier is now set to distance itself from the Chinese supplier.
Their announcements follow a recent judicial ruling that blocked Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou’s attempt to end extradition proceedings to the U.S. Meng, accused of financial fraud, has been held by Canadian authorities since December 2018.
The Canadian government has yet to make a clear decision on whether to allow Huawei equipment in the nation’s 5G networks. Bell may still consider collaborating with Huawei in building the 5G infrastructure if the Canadian government green-lights such a partnership, according to local media, and Telus may follow suit as well.
Huawei has signed commercial 5G contracts with over 90 telecoms worldwide, mainly in Europe. The company is pouring resources into expanding its business outside of China.
The U.S. government has meanwhile lobbied allies to blackball Huawei, citing potential security risks. Even in Britain, where the government has allowed Huawei to participate its 5G network on a limited basis, a growing number of officials are calling for an outright ban against the technology group.
The UK government is expected to decide next week whether to ban equipment made by Chinese technology giant Huawei from its 5G networks.
The US is lobbying the UK to exclude it on the grounds of national security. Huawei insists it would never take orders from the Chinese government; most Governments don’t believe this.
