Sweden Bans Huawei and ZTE from 5G Network

Sweden is the latest country to ban Huawei and ZTE telecoms from its 5G network. The ban follows a new legislation that came into force in January 2020 after an examination by the Swedish Armed forces and security service “to ensure that the use of radio equipment in these bands does not cause harm to Sweden’s security”

The swedish telecoms regulator cited security issues in its ban which was announced in a statement. Huawei, the market leader in 5G networks and ZTE are expected to remove their existing installations in the country by January 1, 2025.

Strained relations between the US and China have put Chinese companies in a precarious situation. The UK in early July terminated its links with Huawei, announcing that they are removing the telco’s gear within six months, and that Huawei would not be commissioned in the building of the country’s 5G networks. This came after US imposed sanctions on Huawei, following National Security Concerns. According to the Trump administration, Huawei was using its infrastructure to spy on the US on behalf of the Chinese Government.

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company and Tencent, both Chinese companies, are facing a possible ban from the US following allegations of threatening National Security. TikTok has been accused of gathering and sharing personal data with the Chinese government, proving to be a National Security Threat.

Huawei has repeatedly denied allegations that the company has close ties with the Chinese government and could be used to spy on other countries.

In a statement responding to UK’s position, Huawei said that it’s “open to discussions” with the government.

“We are working closely with our customers to find ways of managing the proposed U.S. restrictions so the U.K. can maintain its current lead in 5G,” Huawei Vice-President Victor Zhang said at the time. “We believe it is too early to determine the impact of the proposed restrictions, which are not about security, but about market position.”