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The US ban on new Huawei technology could have global consequences. Swiss telecom companies are still relaxed.
It is currently unclear whether the recent ban on new devices from Huawei and other Chinese manufacturers is just another escalation in the US-China trade dispute or whether there is actually a risk of espionage.
“So far, nothing tangible has been proven,” says Julian Kamasa, a researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich. The US registration ban is a precedent in the globalized world in 2022, the consequences of which are difficult to assess.
Indirect sanctions cannot be ruled out
In a next step, the USA could also decide on indirect sanctions. That would mean conditions for countries, companies and institutions that work with the USA. Huawei would also come under a lot of pressure in other countries.
The USA is an important trading partner for Switzerland. According to Kamasa, it could also be uncomfortable for research institutions. He recalls that Switzerland is seeking closer research cooperation with the USA in order to catch up on the research cooperation with the EU that has been put on hold. “It couldn’t be easy. The ETH, for example, uses WiFi devices from Huawei,” says Kamasa.
Huawei put into perspective
The Chinese tech group Huawei does not believe that the US decision will affect its European business. Huawei Switzerland responded to SRF’s request with just one sentence: “We remain committed to our millions of customers and will continue to sell Huawei product innovations in Europe and thus also in Switzerland.”
In addition to Huawei, the manufacturers ZTE, Dahua, Hytera and Hikvision are also affected. Banning the devices of these manufacturers, as in the USA, is not possible in Switzerland. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) writes that the federal government has no competence for this as long as the legal requirements are met.
It could hit these companies
Switzerland would be particularly affected by a possible Huawei ban. Because all Swiss telecom companies use Huawei technology. If there is actually a risk of espionage, companies must protect themselves, according to OFCOM.
Huawei technology is often used when it comes to the security of 5G networks, the fast mobile Internet. Ofcom records in writing. “Telecommunications service providers are responsible for the integrity and security of their networks themselves. To do this, they have to ensure telecommunications secrecy and data protection.”
Telecom companies unimpressed
On request, the telecom companies explain that they are “observing the situation carefully”. Salt notes that in addition to Nokia, Huawei is also needed to rapidly advance the 5G network expansion.
According to Swisscom, it carefully examines the risk profile of all suppliers. Sunrise believes it’s more about a politically motivated trade war than security concerns. Whether Sunrise is right about that is an open question. One thing is certain: all three companies currently see no reason to make any adjustments to their infrastructure after the US decision.
Kamasa at ETH nods. There is no immediate danger, but the world can change quickly. “We should think more in scenarios, as Corona has also taught, in order to be prepared for all eventualities.”