Huawei Pleads Against Its Ban on Using 5G in Sweden

Chinese communications firm Huawei has bid Sweden’s choice to forbid it from the nation’s 5G network.

Huawei was banned not long ago, close by individual Chinese organization ZTE; by the Swedish Post as well as Telecom Authority (PTS) in the midst of security concerns.

In its allure recorded to the PTS and the Stockholm regulatory court, Huawei said the boycott “needs legitimate premise, abuses major basic liberties; disregards central EU lawful standards and is wrong in substance.”

If the ban is upheld, it would cause “exceptionally comprehensive and irreparable damage” to its business, Huawei added.

“We think the decision that has been taken is not good for customers, nor for Sweden in general,” Kenneth Fredriksen; Huawei’s executive vice president for the Nordic region, told Reuters.

“We therefore want a Swedish court to look at if the decision has been taken through a proper process and according to the law,” he added.

Carriers using Huawei and ZTE installations in Sweden have until January 2025 to remove them as part of the ban.

The PTS said the ban was in line with new legislation that took effect from January 2020 after an extensive examination carried out by Sweden’s armed forces; and security service “to ensure that the use of radio equipment in these [5G network] bands does not cause harm to Sweden’s security.“

The U.S. has alleged that Chinese firms are used to spy for Beijing; something both China and Huawei have denied.

Ben Wood, a researcher at an analysis company CCS Insight, said the ban “leaves network operators with less options; and risk slowing the roll-out of 5G in markets where competition is reduced.”

The European Competitive Telecommunications Association also denounced any bans of Chinese 5G suppliers for geopolitical reason; saying “such decisions can only be justified on the basis of well-established facts.”

Professor John Gong, an expert on international business at Beijing University of International Business and Economics; says Sweden’s claims that the ban protects its national security is unfounded, and is nothing other than politicizing normal economic cooperation.

“The big context is Mike Pompeo, the U.S. secretary of state has been circumventing the world sending the message that; Huawei may be a danger to public security … So he’s attempting to set up some worldwide coalition against Huawei and for this situation it would seem that the Swedish government is purchasing this contention,” said Professor Gong.

Gong added he trusts Sweden will mull over the issue, saying the nation should see this issue in a goal; and reasonable way and keep away from any negative effect on China-Sweden relations.