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U.S: 5G tech from Huawei competitors just as good
Attempting to influence European countries to consider 5G technology from Sweden’s Ericsson, Finland’s Nokia, and South Korea’s Samsung as alternatives to telecom giant Huawei, a senior U.S. diplomat has reportedly sparked tensions between the U.S. and certain European allies.
Robert Strayer, deputy assistant secretary for cyber, international communications and information policy at the U.S. State Department, said on a visit to Lisbon, Portugal last week that it was “necessary to demystify” the idea that Huawei offers superior 5G technology, claiming that those companies’ 5G technology was “on par” with Huawei’s, a Reuters story is reporting.
Washington is pushing the idea that the use of Huawei’s kit may carry espionage risks, which has been denied by both Huawei and government officials.
In January, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson granted Huawei a limited role in building the country’s 5G mobile network, stating that banning the company would prolong its 5G rollout by up to three years, potentially. Also last month, Portugal finalized its 5G strategy and launched a working group tasked with monitoring the risks and security of the new network.
In his comments reported by Reuters, Strayer said Western vendors offer an open architecture with more functionality, which allows for U.S. and European companies to provide compatible equipment.
