Displaying items by tag: Huawei

Britain’s telecom companies could be fined up to 10% of turnover or $133,140 a day if they violate a ban on using equipment made by China’s Huawei under a fresh law put forward this week.

The Telecommunications (Security) Bill will tighten the security standards of the UK’s telecoms networks, the government said.

Britain in July decided to ban the use of Huawei in 5G networks from the end of 2027 because of growing security concerns and future co-operation with the US.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said the benefits of 5G and fiber networks could only be realized if they were secure and resilient.

“This groundbreaking bill will give the UK one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world and allow us to take the action necessary to protect our networks,” he said.

Huawei said it was disappointed that the government was looking to exclude it from the roll-out of 5G.

“This decision is politically motivated and not based on a fair evaluation of the risks,” said Vice President Victor Zhang.

“It does not serve anyone’s best interests as it would move Britain into the digital slow lane and put at risk the Government’s levelling up agenda.”

The government said the tougher security standards in the bill would also help protect Britain from potential cyber-attacks from countries and criminals.

Regulator Ofcom will be given the duty of monitoring and assessing the security of telecoms providers.

In the latest part its ongoing campaign to fight back against having to remove its communications solutions from European countries’ infrastructure, Huawei has released the findings of a report from business analysts Oxford Economics. 

According to the report, Huawei contributed €16.4 billion to Europe’s GDP and supported 224,300 jobs in 2019. The Chinese telecoms giant holds the largest global market share (~35.3%) of any vendor. The second-largest, Nokia, holds less than half of Huawei’s market share at around 16.1 percent.

Huawei’s impact in Europe has grown markedly over the last five years. Its contribution to GDP increased by an average of 19.1% per year, in real terms, between 2015 and 2019.

The total employment and real tax contributions associated with Huawei’s activities in Europe grew by an average annual rate of 17.1% and 16.8% over the same period.  

In 2019 alone, Huawei also supported €6.6bn in tax revenues – sufficient to pay for over 151,000 teachers’ salaries.

The study, penned by the UK think tank, highlights that pulling out Huawei’s equipment and replacing it with alternatives is going to be a costly and time-consuming endeavor—one that will likely delay 5G rollouts.

Hanging over the report is the decision in July 2020 by the UK government to commit to a timetable for the removal of Huawei equipment from the country’s growing 5G communications infrastructure by 2027 – effectively a huge U-turn to the decision it took only in January 2020 to restrict Huawei’s presence to just the radio access network element of 5G setups.

Pete Collings, Director of Economic Impact Consulting at Oxford Economics said: “This report is an objective way to show the full extent of Huawei’s economic impact in the UK. Companies like Huawei are major contributors to the UK directly but their impact is extended through the spending they undertake with other UK firms. This spending, and the further economic activity it generates, sustains jobs across the country, contributing to UK GDP and government tax revenues.”

Huawei and Cambridge Wireless have partnered to deploy and build a private 5G testbed at the Cambridge Science Park. This marks the start of a 3-year partnership which will include digital training, joint events and business support.

This will be the UK city's first 5G mobile private network, and will support companies with R&D and application of new digital technologies in areas such as remote surgery, autonomous vehicles and clean energy. The 5G testbed will go live in January 2021. 

Owned by Cambridge University, the Cambridge Science Park currently has over 120 technology companies and scale-ups. Cambridge Wireless is a community of 1,000 companies in R&D and application of wireless and mobile, internet, semiconductor, hardware and software technologies.

Victor Zhang, UK head of Huawei, said: “The Cambridge eco-system is recognized as a global leader in technology and we are excited to work with the talent and vision in this eco-system. We hope to enable Cambridge Wireless members to reach new heights by allowing them access to our state-of-the-art equipment and markets including China and beyond. Our commitment to the UK and industry remains as strong as ever and we will continue to offer our expertise and technology to our partners to promote connections and innovation.”

A Swedish court has postponed the decision to ban Huawei’s 5G equipment from the country’s network as it reconsiders the merits of the case against the tech giant.

This decision, which was taken by Stockholm’s administrative court, has forced the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) to also postpone the 5G auction which was due to take place on Tuesday.

When news of the alleged ban broke, Huawei previously stated that the ban would have lacked “legal basis” and violated “fundamental human rights” and “fundamental EU legal principles…. And is incorrect in substance”.

The Swedish telecom regulator has stated that its October 20 ban, which would have affected ZTE too, was in line with new legislation “to ensure that the use of radio equipment in these (5G network) bands does not cause harm to Sweden’s security”.

The regulator has now been asked to submit its arguments first in order for the court to make a decision.

Huawei has said that the ban would have caused irreplaceable harm to its business. The ban would have meant that all the existing and already installed Huawei kits would need to be removed and that no further equipment from the Chinese vendor is to be deployed.

Huawei has appealed against Sweden’s decision to exclude the Chinese vendor from 5G networks, the Swedish telecoms regulator PTS said.

The ban, announced by the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) on October 20, "lacks legal basis, violates fundamental human rights, violates fundamental EU legal principles ... and is incorrect in substance," Huawei wrote in its appeal to PTS and the Stockholm administrative court.

If carried out, it would cause "exceptionally comprehensive and irreparable damage" to its business, Huawei added.

PTS has said that its ban, which also affects Chinese company ZTE, is in line with new legislation that took effect in January 2020, following an examination by Sweden's security service "to ensure that the use of radio equipment in these (5G network) bands does not cause harm to Sweden's security."

Kenneth Fredriksen, Huawei’s EVP of Central East Europe and the Nordics, told Reuters: “We think the decision that has been taken is not good for customers nor for Sweden in general.”  

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

European governments have been tightening controls on Chinese companies building 5G networks following diplomatic pressure from the US, which alleges Huawei and ZTE equipment could be used by Beijing for spying. Huawei has repeatedly denied being a national security risk.

Huawei said in its appeal there was "no concrete evidence of a cyber security threat" posed by the company, and insisted that "the Chinese state cannot order Huawei to spy".

Huawei will launch its second model of smart glasses, the Gentle Monster Eyewear II, on 6 November. The connected wearable comes with a voice-controlled digital assistant and built-in speakers and will sell for a recommend price of EUR 329 (AED 1400).

This is Huawei's second collaboration with the Korean eyewear brand, and the new model upgrades the semi-open speaker to optimize sound for taking calls and listening to music without sound leakage. The glasses feature the same technology as its predecessor. The only difference is that it sports a new design and comes with a redesigned carrying case.

The voice assistant can be used even without the need to connect a smartphone, and the glasses come with Bluetooth 5.2 and support for NFC wireless charging directly in their case. Huawei said the battery supports up to five hours of music on a single charge. 

In addition, thanks to proximity sensors, the Huawei glasses automatically recognize when worn and removed, and automatically play or pause music playback.

The glasses closely resemble a standard pair of glasses with thicker arms that house the sensors and controls. They are sold as frames only, without lenses, which must be acquired by the customer from an optician. 

The US has been persistent in its global campaign against Huawei and some other Chinese tech giants such as WeChat and TikTok.

Emerging reports have been pointing towards renewed pressure on South Korea and a number of European operators to replace cloud infrastructure and facilities which were supplied by Chinese vendors.

It has been reported that the US has urged Korean authorities to subscribe to its Clean Network initiative, an initiative that was received with a great deal of criticism a few months ago, amidst a call between the two nations’ politicians.

It has been disclosed that Korea left it up to private companies to decide what to do with their equipment and which vendor to use.

For some time now, the US has been carrying out a long-running campaign against Huawei with regards to its 5G equipment. This has drastically affected the supply chain of operators across the world. The US has been relentless in trying to persuade its allies in Europe to also scrap Chinese vendors’ cloud infrastructure, including but not limited to Huawei.

US representatives recently met with Deutsche Telekom and Masmovil to raise security concerns in relation to data center and cloud infrastructure provided by Chinese vendors.

This comes as the US ramped up its efforts to influence tech policies across the rest of the world. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a memorandum of understanding in an effort to ensure that developing countries avoid working with “untrusted vendors” and encourage them to use “open, interoperable, reliable and secure” infrastructure.

However, despite the US’s efforts to undermine Huawei and other Chinese vendors, there is still no conclusive evidence that justifies their actions to target and harm their business abroad.

Emirates has announced a collaboration with Huawei to promote the Emirates app to Huawei phone users and build a more convenient and rewarding experience for passengers as travel demand recovers in the post-pandemic era.

Since January 2020, Emirates passengers have been downloading the Emirates app (Android version) at AppGallery and benefiting from its rich range of functions. The recent enhanced collaboration between the two parties extends the shared platform to include SmartCard Integration, providing a quick booking option for Emirates app users in the Chinese mainland and the UAE, as well as the ability to easily access their travel and flight information. Emirates-themed wallpapers, icons and fonts will also be created for travel enthusiasts to download and inspire their next travel plans and to customize their mobile experience.

Commenting on the partnership with Huawei, an Emirates spokesperson said: "It's our pleasure to build a collaboration with Huawei in order to provide the best possible customer experience, not only onboard and on the ground, but also online. Considering Huawei's strong market position in the Chinese mainland and the UAE, we are proud to collaborate with them on promoting our app. The engaging tools that are available on the Huawei AppGallery can help us create closer bonds and experiences with more customers, especially in China, which is a significant market for us. The next phase of our collaboration will roll out soon and is aimed at benefitting passengers at every step of their journey, from trip planning to arriving at their destination."

Subsequent phases of the joint cooperation will see Emirates and Huawei planning to expand features available to the airline's customers by integrating the Emirates app with the Huawei Wallet platform. The new features will enable Skywards members to store membership details and loyalty points, in addition to boarding passes and vouchers in the Huawei Wallet. Furthermore, Emirates customers will also soon be able to enter any of its worldwide lounges by simply tapping their Huawei device at the door.

The collaboration may also extend in the near future to include payment options and rewarding experiences, allowing easy redemptions of Skywards Miles and the ability to earn Huawei points. Users can also earn rewards points from designated banks in the UAE, to be used for the purchase of Emirates tickets or Huawei phones and accessories. The shared platform will also allow redemptions with car rental companies, telecommunication providers as well as airport taxi partners to bring more benefits to Emirates passengers and Huawei users.

Mr. Lu Geng, Director, Middle East and Africa Partnerships and Eco-Development at Huawei Consumer Business Group, added: "Innovation is part of our DNA and in Emirates we have found a like-minded partner whose desire and ability to continuously be at the forefront is integrated into their culture. In this era, where consumer behaviors have changed as we emerge from the pandemic, people rely more than ever on their smartphones to make decisions, including travel-related ones. This encouraging collaboration paves the way for us to explore future solutions and bringing even more inspiration to travelers and making their travel more convenient and rewarding."

US telecommunications networks, which have relied on network equipment from China’s Huawei and ZTE, have told the government that it would cost $1.837 billion to replace those switches and routers, the Federal Communications Commission said.

In June, the FCC formally designated Huawei and ZTE as threats to US national security, a declaration that bars US firms from accessing an $8.3 billion government fund to purchase equipment from the companies.

FCC commissioners said the report shows the need for Congress to approve funding to replace that equipment. Congress has authorized reimbursements but has not approved the money.

The FCC said it believes the carriers would be eligible for reimbursements of about $1.62 billion.

“By identifying the presence of insecure equipment and services in our networks, we can now work to ensure that these networks — especially those of small and rural carriers — rely on infrastructure from trusted vendors,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said, urging Congress “to appropriate funding to reimburse carriers for replacing any equipment or services determined to be a national security threat so that we can protect our networks.”

Huawei is ramping up efforts in its cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) business, which still has access to US chips despite sanctions against the company, in a move to secure its survival, according to the Financial Times.

Huawei has seen rapid growth in its cloud computing business, which sells computing power and storage to companies, including giving them access to AI.

The cloud business is key to stabilizing Huawei in its home market, as Beijing will increasingly support the company through public cloud contracts.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic struck, Huawei observed the acceleration of cloud computing – putting its unit on an equal footing with its smartphones and telecoms equipment businesses.

In January, the company announced changes to its organizational structure and management team, creating a fourth business group for its cloud computing and AI divisions in a sign that the telecom giant is aiming its attention at this growing sector.

A focus on cloud computing puts Huawei in direct competition with the biggest Chinese players including Alibaba and Tencent, as well as global heavyweights such as Amazon and Google.

The changes echo Huawei’s “Cloud Only” strategy in which the company pledged to invest more resources and funds to build a “full-stack cloud platform.”

This shift in focus is necessary because the outlook for Huawei’s smartphone and other consumer products unit is impaired in the face of US restrictions. The consumer unit was responsible for half of Huawei’s $122 billion revenue last year.

The Trump administration has restricted technology exports to Chinese companies in particular, notably Huawei, citing national security risks.

Meanwhile, vendors of semiconductors needed for cloud computing are still allowed to ship to Huawei if they have a license exempting them from the restrictions.