Banning Huawei from providing 5G equipment[1] to Australia's telcos will threaten the nation's ability to stay "ahead of the game" in its mobile networks due to restricting competition, the Chinese networking giant has argued.
"Australians are now enjoying some of the best 4G broadband in the world because of the competition and because players like Huawei," Huawei Australia chair John Lord told ABC's RN Breakfast[2] on Monday morning.
"There's only about two other players in the Australian market."
According to Lord, Huawei is currently commissioning a paper on how much more expensive 5G network build-outs would be if Huawei is barred from taking part, adding that the company is talking to the Australian government[3] "regularly".
"This is a very critical point, but from the experience of past projects ... if Huawei does not participate, there'll only be one provider, because Huawei is the only company globally that goes from end to end in the ICT infrastructure," he argued.
"Our competitors are expert in certain areas, and they compete against us, but not across the whole spectrum."
In Australia, Optus trialled 5G with Huawei[4] back in 2016, although the telco has yet to choose its 5G partner[5]. It is also helping Vodafone upgrade its 4G network[6].
Lord denied any national security concerns[7] based on Chinese involvement in the running of its telco equipment in Australia.
"We provide those vendors -- Optus, Vodafone, TPG, and perhaps the Telstras -- with equipment. They operate the equipment. Now, we may do maintenance, but that maintenance is done by the over 700 employees -- who are Australians