Sweden bans Chinese Huawei and ZTE from its 5G network for security reasons

The Swedish telecom regulator on Tuesday said that it has banned Chinese telecom companies such as Huawei and ZTE from its 5G network for security reasons.

The ban is in line with Sweden’s new legislation that came into force in January 2020, following an examination by the Swedish armed forces and security service “to ensure that the use of radio equipment in these bands does not cause harm to Sweden’s security,” the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority said in a statement.

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A market leader for next generation 5G equipment, Huawei and ZTE also need to remove any existing installations by January 1, 2025.

Many countries including Britain and France have placed restrictions on the use of equipment by Huawei.

The United States has earlier claimed that Chinese firms are used to spy for Beijing, allegations which China denies, and has piled pressure on allies to cut Huawei from their internet infrastructure.

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Tuesday’s ban came as PTS announced it had approved four applications for Sweden’s 5G spectrum auctions planned to start on November 10.

The four companies, all Swedish, are Hi3G Access, Net4Mobility, Telia Sweden and Teracom.