SPARK New Zealand Ltd. said yesterday it abandoned plans to rely on China’s Huawei Technologies Co. exclusively for the rollout of 5G services but would keep it as part of a three-company preferred list of equipment suppliers. The telecom and digital services provider said it would kick off its 5G rollout with Nokia — for which it has New Zealand government approval — as part of its staged-approach strategy. Spark said Samsung Electronics Co. and Huawei completed its three-company preferred list of suppliers. It has not yet submitted applications, however, for the use of Huawei or Samsung equipment. However, to get equipment from the Chinese company, Spark would need to first obtain clearance from a government intelligence agency that vetoed Huawei last year over “national security” concerns. Shenzhen-based Huawei, which makes phones and telecom network equipment, has for years faced suspicions from several nations over security, a charge that Huawei has repeatedly denied. New Zealand is part of a five-nation intelligence-sharing arrangement called “Five Eyes” with the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada, all of which are among the countries that have voiced concerns about Huawei. Spark said yesterday it will seek approval under the country’s Telecommunications Interception Capability and Security Act 2013 before deploying any equipment from Huawei or from Samsung. (SD-Agencies) |