Ericsson joins Nokia in helping BT replace Huawei’s 5G gear

Ericsson has joined Nokia in helping BT to replace Huawei’s 5G equipment in London and other major cities.

In September, BT announced a deal with Nokia that will see the Finnish vendor become its biggest equipment supplier.

BT announced today that it has also selected Ericsson to be a key partner for its 5G deployments in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, and other major cities.

“With deals now in place with both Ericsson and Nokia, two well-known and...

28 October 2020 | Networks

Italy has reportedly blocked a 5G deal between Huawei and Fastweb

Italy has reportedly blocked a 5G deal between Huawei and Swisscom-owned telco Fastweb.

According to multiple sources for Reuters, the Italian government stepped in to block a deal for Huawei to supply Fastweb with 5G core network equipment.

Many European countries have either banned or restricted the use of Huawei’s equipment but Rome is yet to announce its stance. If the reports are true, it would seem Italy looks set to take a strong stance against the Chinese...

26 October 2020 | Legislation & Government

Sweden bans Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE from its 5G networks

Sweden has decided to ban Chinese telecoms vendors Huawei and ZTE from its rollout of 5G networks.

In a statement, the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority said that the “influence of China’s one-party state over the country’s private sector brings with it strong incentives for privately-owned companies to act in accordance with state goals and the communist party’s national strategies.”

Sweden’s decision comes after increasing US-led pressure to ban Chinese...

20 October 2020 | Legislation & Government

BT selects Nokia to replace Huawei for EE’s 5G network

BT has struck a deal with Nokia to replace Huawei’s equipment for EE’s 5G in addition to its previous generation networks.

The UK’s largest telecoms operator acquired EE for £12.5 billion in 2016. EE has used Huawei’s equipment in its 2G and 4G networks while BT itself has maintained a strong relationship with the Chinese vendor since 2005 for its broadband network.

A decision made by the UK government in July bans operators from purchasing Huawei equipment...

29 September 2020 | Networks

Huawei’s R&D lab near its new campus in Dongguan, China is on fire

A research and development facility owned by Huawei has caught fire near the company’s new campus in Dongguan, China.

Social media posts report an explosion at the facility but this is unconfirmed. The R&D lab is, however, expected to contain “sound-absorbing materials” like cotton which is highly flammable.

Videos of the fire are bizarrely being posted and quickly deleted. One video of the blaze which is still available (as of posting) can be found...

25 September 2020 | Telecoms

Canadian telcos may need to fight to get Huawei equipment compensation

Canada’s telecoms operators may be in for a fight to get compensation if the government bans Huawei’s equipment.

Ottawa is currently deciding whether to follow its allies such as the UK and Australia in banning Chinese vendor Huawei’s telecoms equipment.

Reuters reports that Ottawa’s government doesn’t appear to be willing to offer compensation if Huawei’s equipment is banned.

“I’m not sure there is a solid legal case that we would have to...

15 September 2020 | Legislation & Government

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou wants documents unredacted to prove she was ‘tricked’

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is calling for classified documents to be unredacted to prove there was a plot between Canadian authorities and the FBI to “trick” her.

The classified documents have already been released in a heavily redacted format. During a videoconference, Meng’s lawyers demanded the publication of the complete versions which had been redacted before and after her arrest.

However, in a sworn statement delivered in July, a Canadian foreign ministry...

17 August 2020 | Legislation & Government

India is the latest country preparing to ban Huawei from its 5G

India is set to become the latest country to ban Chinese telecoms vendors Huawei and ZTE from its 5G networks.

New rules will prevent any bids from countries which India shares a land border with under amended investment rules that cite concerns over national security.

Earlier this year, a brutal clash between Chinese and Indian troops at a decades-old disputed Himalayan border left a trail of fatalities – many soldiers were beaten to death with barbed wire clubs, or...

14 August 2020 | Legislation & Government

Experts say the Huawei ban will not put the UK ‘into the digital slow lane’

A poll of experts suggests the Huawei ban will not put the UK "into the digital slow lane," as the company has warned.

The polling was conducted by The Chartered Institute for IT and gathered the opinions of 3,000 professionals.

More than half of the experts surveyed said they do not believe Huawei’s claims that its ban will harm the country's digital prospects and push up bills. Around 20 percent weren't sure.

In contrast, the majority of those surveyed...

7 August 2020 | Legislation & Government

Huawei leads Q2 2020 smartphone shipments despite market slump

Huawei has led smartphone shipments for Q2 2020 despite political pressures and a record slump in the wider market.

According to research by IDC, global smartphone shipments declined 16 percent in Q2 over the previous year. The decline is hardly surprising due to people holding out to upgrade to 5G – and, of course, that whole pandemic thing.

"Smartphones shipments suffered a huge decline in Q2 as they directly correlate to consumer spending, which had a massive...

3 August 2020 | Research