Huawei is banned internationally, but not in Norway

Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen (Progress Party)Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen (Progress Party).Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB scanpix

Chinese Huawei is kept out of several countries for fear of espionage, but in Norway they get big contracts. “We will consider possible measures,” says Ketil Solvik-Olsen.

In the US and Australia, the mobile and equipment giant Huawei has been banned from building mobile networks for fear of espionage and lack of security cooperation with China, according to Tek.no.

In Australia, an analyst interprets the ban as an answer to China’s legislation last year, where Chinese companies are obliged to contribute to the country’s information collection, according to VG.

The company has also been warned in Europe, but in Norway, the two largest mobile networks have huge features of Huawei equipment. Both Telenor and Telia emphasize at Tek.no at the same time that their systems are safe and that they have control over who has access to the networks.

Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen (Frp) tells VG that the ministry has noticed how different operators develop in Norway.

– The ministry will consider several possible measures to secure Norwegian mobile networks. In this, assessments related to equipment in Norwegian telecommunications networks from countries where we do not have security policy cooperation will be included.

Solvik-Olsen says the ministry is following international developments continuously and that the ministry, as part of the work on the new security act, assesses whether it needs to clarify requirements for equipment suppliers.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today

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