Huawei says ready to accept any terms Sweden may set as it seeks to end 5G ban in country
- Sweden’s telecoms regulator PTS in October banned the use of equipment from Huawei and ZTE by telecoms operators taking part in 5G auctions
- European governments have tightened controls on Chinese-built 5G networks following pressure from Washington
Huawei Technologies is willing to meet any requirement the Swedish government may set on 5G network equipment and take other measures to mitigate concerns, a senior executive said, after a ban in the country delayed spectrum auctions.
In a surprise move in October, Sweden’s telecoms regulator PTS banned the use of equipment from China’s Huawei and ZTE by telecoms operators taking part in the 5G auctions. Huawei won a court injunction and an appeal by PTS is pending.
“We are even willing to meet extraordinary requirements, such as setting up test facilities for our equipment in Sweden, for example, if they want to,” Kenneth Fredriksen, Huawei’s executive vice-president, Central East Europe and Nordic Region, told Reuters.
“We are now in the middle of the court process, but we are willing to have pragmatic discussions.”
European governments have tightened controls on Chinese-built 5G networks following pressure from Washington, which alleges Beijing could use Huawei equipment for spying. Huawei has denied being a national security risk.
The court cases around the issue could delay the spectrum auction further and derail 5G deployment in Sweden, which was the second country after Britain to impose a ban.