Thailand launched a Huawei Technologies 5G testbed on Friday, at the same time as the United States calls on its allies to ban the Chinese telecom giant from constructing next-generation mobile networks.
Huawei, the world’s largest maker of telecommunications equipment and the second-largest maker of smartphones, has faced increasing international scrutiny over concerns that China could use its equipment for espionage, which the corporate says are unfounded.
The 5G test site in Thailand, the United States’ oldest ally in Asia, will likely be Huawei’s first in Southeast Asia.
Thailand’s cooperation with Huawei on the testbed doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be concerned about security issues, Digital Economy Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj told Reuters.
“We are closely monitoring allegations around the world. However, this 5G testbed project is a testing period for the country,” Pichet added. “We may make observations that will be used to confirm or disprove the allegations.”
Pichet was speaking on the Chonburi Test Site, at the guts of the Thai military government’s $45 billion economic project – the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) – about 90 km (55.92 miles) southeast of Bangkok.
Vendors corresponding to Nokia, Ericsson and Thai telecom operators have also arrange 5G labs at the ability.
Huawei, which gets almost half its revenue from outside China, says it has won greater than 30 business 5G contracts world wide. But it hasn’t signed a deal for 5G in Thailand yet.
Huawei is in talks with telecom operators corresponding to Advanced Info Service Pcl and TRUE to secure local partnerships ahead of a nationwide rollout scheduled for December 2020, industry sources with knowledge of the matter said.
Asked whether the United States had contacted Thailand in regards to the Huawei ban, Pichet said: “I even have no knowledge of that.”
Source : tonews
