In a blow to Huawei and ZTE, a US government committee has warned that operators should not procure equipment from the Chinese vendors due to potential security risks.
The US House Intelligence Committee yesterday published its long-awaited report into the security implications of using Chinese telecom equipment in US network infrastructure.
The report sites “allegations” of suspicious behavior by US companies using equipment from Huawei and ZTE, but doesn't include any concrete evidence in the published version.
While the report includes only recommendations that operators and public agencies avoid the vendors, it is likely to add to the difficulties Huawei and ZTE are already facing in winning business in the US market.
In a public statement, Huawei has strongly dismissed the report for failing to provide any clear evidence to support the claims.
“The report released by the Committee today employs many rumors and speculations to prove non-existent accusations,” the statement reads.
Huawei bemoaned that despite its best effort to co-operate in the inquiry “the Committee appears to have been committed to a predetermined outcome,” accusing the panellists of paying “no attention to the large amount of facts that we have provided” to the enquiry.
“We have to suspect that the only purpose of such a report is to impede competition and obstruct Chinese ICT companies from entering the US market,” the vendor added.