Portugal is considering the ban of Huawei from its national 5G networks
Portugal could become the latest country to ban Huawei and other Chinese companies from building 5G networks. As reported by Bloomberg, the Portuguese government recommended this week that domestic operators be banned from acquiring 5G equipment from outside the European Union or from countries that are not part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Operation and Development (OCED).
In a statement released Thursday by Portugal’s Supreme Cyber Security Council, the government said companies outside those jurisdictions pose a “significant risk” to the security of the country’s wireless networks. The document does not specifically mention Huawei, but since China is not a member of NATO, OCED or the European Union, the company, along with other Chinese suppliers such as ZTE, would be effectively excluded from participating in Portugal’s 5G networks if the country was. to the closet. Accepts the recommendation of the Security Council.
A Huawei spokesperson told the Financial Times: “Huawei had no prior knowledge of this matter and has not been consulted.” “Over the past two decades, Huawei has partnered with Portuguese operators to build wireless networks and provide quality services that connect millions of people. We will continue to comply with all applicable laws and regulations and serve Portuguese customers and partners who trust our products and services.”
Banning Chinese companies from participating in 5G networks would be a surprising turn for Portugal, which has enjoyed close relations with the East Asian power for years. As noted by the Financial Times, Portugal has been one of the largest per capita recipients of Chinese investment in recent years. Altice Portugal, the country’s largest wireless operator, signed an agreement in 2018 to use Huawei equipment as part of its 5G rollout. If Portugal goes ahead with the ban, it will join Canada and a few other European countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which recently banned the company from participating in their 5G networks.
