Telecommunications firm Orange has ruled out using Huawei products in its core 5G network while Germany’s Deutsche Telekom has followed suit saying that it is now reviewing purchases of Huawei equipment.
The Chinese company which sells smartphones and telecommunications gear has faced increased scrutiny in the United States started banning their allies from using their products.The economy giant cited potential national security risks from using Huawei products.
The recent arrest of its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou also raised additional questions about Huawei and its connection to the Iranian government. Meng has been released on bail in Canada but she now faces a lengthy legal battle over whether she should be extradited to the United States where prosecutors accuse her of helping Huawei get around sanctions on Iran.
Huawei is shut out of the US market where it has repeatedly come under fire from lawmakers and government officials who also accuse it of working under the influence of the Chinese government.
It has repeatedly denied the allegations saying it’s a private company owned by its employees.
New Zealand and Australia have also joined in the ban and have now prevented telecoms companies from using Huawei equipment for their 5G mobile networks.