The Government of Canada has stated that local Telcora will have until June 2024 to remove 5G gear from these two vendors.
Due to security concerns, Canada has decided to ban the use of equipment by Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE.
“The Government of Canada is ensuring the long-term security of our telecommunications infrastructure. As part of this, the government wants to ban the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE products and services in Canada’s telecommunications system, “said Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in a statement.
The minister noted that the decision was based on a thorough review of the country’s independent security agencies and consultations with allies.
“As a result, telecommunications companies operating in Canada will no longer be allowed to use the designated equipment or services provided by Huawei and ZTE. In addition, companies that use these tools already installed on their networks need to stop using them and remove them. The Government intends to implement these measures as part of a broader agenda to consult with Canada on the security and industry of telecommunications networks.
Champagne added that Canadian operators will have to remove their 5G gear by June, 2024, while companies using 4G devices supplied by these two Chinese vendors will have to remove it by the end of 2027.
The rest of FiveIs’ intelligence-sharing network – comprising Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand – has already banned telecom gear from Chinese vendors over security concerns.
“We will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate interests of Chinese companies.” Reuters Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Canada said the alleged security concerns were “an excuse for political manipulation” and that Canada was working with the United States to crack down on Chinese companies. Reuters.
Both Huawei and ZTE said the decision was taken primarily for political reasons and denied claims that their equipment could pose a security risk.
Huawei Canada said its equipment had been “closely verified” by the government and security agencies. A statement from Huawei said, “The ban on Huawei’s equipment and services will result in significant economic losses in Canada and increase the cost of communicating with Canadian customers.”
ZTE, meanwhile, said it rejected the decision as “highly speculative”.
The Canadian government initially announced a review of Huawei’s equipment in September 2018.
