The Cellular Operators Association of India(COAI)on Monday defended Huawei amid reports that said that the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council(TEPC)was planning to seek restriction against the Chinese telecom gear maker over national security concerns.The industry body,in its letter to the telecom secretary,urged the government to not take any decision in haste on the basis of"alleged concerns"raised by the TEPC.
Huawei,on the other hand,said that it has not received any official communication and the reports or statements made are not backed by any proof."We continue to receive full support from the government and industry partners alike.Having a proven track record of doing business in the country,we continue to work closely with government of India and other industry stakeholders,"Huawei said in a statement to ET.
The vendor added that privacy and security are always its first priority,and its products are used by major telcos globally."In India too we continue to partner with leading carriers and enterprises to deliver world class ICT products and solutions.Ultimately,Huawei will continue to develop its business through a significant commitment to innovation and R&D,and towards delivering technologies that help our customers succeed,"it further added.
The COAI,which represents telecom service providers,also requested the government to conduct its own due diligence in this context.It said that any arbitrary exclusion of certain companies on hearsay may be detrimental to the overall digital communications aspirations of the nation.
The body further added that the DoT is competent to judge for itself‘if there are any concerns in the Indian context and to put suitable measures to ensure the security of customers and that of the country is in no way compromised’.
“They(Huawei)are suitably equipped to prepare operators and industry to build 5G capabilities in operations,in organisation and most importantly in the eco-system and to ensure they are fully compliant with all government requirements,"COAI's director general Rajna Mathews said in the letter.
The COAI has also requested the TEPC to not make any submission to the national security advisor without consulting the telecom department,telcos and the body itself.
In its letter,the body said that the government has been working to keep telecom networks secure,with reviews of the security policy and the insertion of specific clauses into the licences to prevent any risk to network security.
A licence amendment in 2011 has mandated a security audit of the telecom networks,something which the DoT has been doing regularly,the body added.
The US,Australia,and New Zealand have banned or restricted the use of Huawei’s 5G equipment,and have raised various concerns about the vendor's equipment.
However,the telecom department has recently issued an invitation letter to Huawei to conduct trial runs for 5G technology.Huawei recently said that it plans to conduct 5G field trials in the first quarter of 2019.
