Should We Order Huawei Equipment or Not? Telcos Ask Govt

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Telcos have also written to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to announce a final decision on this issue

 India’s telcos have urged the government to make its stance clear on whether operators should order 5G equipment from Chinese company Huawei or not, saying they can’t afford to take a risk with millions of dollars at stake.

Speaking at the third ET Telecom India MobileConclave on Tuesday, Bharti Enterprises vice chairman Akhil Gupta appealed the government of India to make it clear as soon as possible.

The industry understands that the Chinese firm is at the “cutting edge of 5G” technology but “we can’t take a risk” as telcos will need to invest heavily in 5G equipment, Gupta said.

Echoing the same thought, Rajan Mathews, director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), also urged the government to inform operators beforehand if there are perceived security issues.

“…Today if they invest using Huawei products, then six months down the line, they do not want to be in a position where government requires them to remove the equipment,” he stated.

Telcos have also written to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to announce a final decision on this issue.

Huawei Security Concerns

Huawei is facing global scrutiny after the US raised security concerns regarding its 5G equipment over the former’s alleged proximity to the Chinese government.

The US has asked its allies to ban 5G gear from Huawei. Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia have so far agreed.

However, Huawei India CEO Jay Chen had rejected the allegations, saying that no country has been able to give any evidence of wrongdoing by the company.

Chen also said that Huawei is currently engaged with all telcos for 5G trials in the country.

 

(With inputs from ET)

 

 

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