Portugal Restricts Use Of Huawei Equipment From China On 5G And 4G Networks

Huawei, will find it difficult to enter the 5G market in Portugal. (photo; dock. pexels)

JAKARTA - The CSSC, Portugal's Cybersecurity Council, has issued a resolution that can officially prohibit telecommunications operators from using Chinese equipment in the high-speed 5G mobile network and the 4G platform on which the new technology is based.

The CSSC is the prime minister's consulting body and the document issued on May 23 is another blow to the efforts of Chinese technology company Huawei to enter the 5G market in Portugal and possibly extend existing contracts.

Under law approved in August last year, the government was able to determine "avoiding, limiting use, or termination of the use of equipment or services" from telecommunications companies, by setting terms and deadlines for operators to comply.

The government has not made direct comments on this matter.

According to Reuters, the country's main carriers, Altice, NOS, and Vodafone, have stated that they will not use Huawei equipment in the 5G core network, following concerns from Europe and the United States that China's involvement in critical infrastructure could threaten security. Beijing and Huawei reject these suggestions.

The 5G network that already exists in Portugal is currently not an independent network and is mostly still based on 4G technology and equipment.

Although it does not mention China or China's supplier directly, the CSSC warns of a "high risk" to the security of a "residentially" supplier or provider in a country where the government carries out control, interference, or pressure on its activities in third countries".

The opinion is based on an undisclosed report that evaluates the safety of equipment in a public electronic communication network involving 5G technology.

The CSSC also mentions security risks when the country where the supplier is based does not have a data protection agreement, cybersecurity, or intellectual property protection with Portugal or the European Union, or when the country is not a member of the European Union, NATO, or OECD.

Huawei said in a statement that it "does not have any prior knowledge of, and is not consulted on the matter" and they are still gathering information "on the nature of this assessment" and look forward to continuing to serve clients in Portugal.

Europe has become a battleground in the technological competition between Beijing and Washington, and if the Chinese company continues to be expelled, European competitors Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia, could become supplier duopoli.