U.S. rural operators say Huawei’s ban is senseless, and unnecessary

Moments after blacklisting Chinese technology company Huawei from buying American-made products, the Trump administration through the Commerce Department granted Huawei a temporary reprieve that allows it to operate with limitations in the US.  The move will allow Huawei to provide services to small rural carriers who depend largely on Huawei and ZTE switches pending when they make a switch over.

Now, Small telecom operators in the States have reacted to the ban imposed on the Chinese firm describing the ban, and the plan moves to switch over as not only “unnecessary”, but also “difficult and  capital intensive.”

Mike Kirgo, CEO of Niemont (US telecom operator) confirmed that more than 70% of its core network equipment comes from Huawei, and so replacing these pieces of equipment will tell more on the finances of small telecom operators like them, while general users’ network services will be greatly affected. He opined that the security claims relied on by the Commerce Department is blown overboard, and the ban as completely senseless.

In his words, Mike says no sane person/institution will ignore public safety to shut down the network. For example, if an airplane has two engines and you want to replace one of the engines in the high altitude of 30,000 feet (9144 meters), this is not a good idea.

Carri Bennett, general counsel of the American Rural Wireless Operators Association, also said that many rural telecom operators are highly dependent on Huawei equipment, and switching over could cost a fortune, while it could take as much as 7 years to effect.”