Canada is the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network that has not formally blocked Huawei from 5G networks, but it has effectively done just that, delaying a decision long enough to force telecom companies to exclude the Chinese gear maker, reported Reuters.
The strategy allows Canada to keep on the right side of both China and the United States as they tussle over Huawei, say six Reuters sources with direct knowledge of the matter. Canada and its Five Eyes allies — the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia — are under pressure from fellow member the United States to squeeze out Huawei on security grounds.
Canada has been mulling whether to disbar the firm’s next-generation equipment for the better part of two years, brushing off increasing signs of industry impatience. In June, Bell Canada and rival Telus Corp – two of the biggest wireless providers – teamed with Sweden’s Ericsson and Finland’s Nokia Oyj to build fifth-generation (5G) telecoms networks, ditching Huawei for the project despite using Huawei 4G gear.
“The absence of a solution will eventually settle all problems,” said a Reuters source directly familiar with the approach taken by the Liberal government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.