The Pentagon has ordered all retail outfits within the precinct of the United State military bases to stop selling devices manufactured by either Huawei or ZTE. The reason put forward for this is the same old story that using such devices made by either of the two Chinese manufacturers could pose a security risk.

This is obviously a continuation of the now infamous clampdown of two of China major telecommunications equipment suppliers. The statement by a Pentagon representative sent to The Wall Street Journal states that “Huawei and ZTE devices may pose an unacceptable risk to the department’s personnel, information, and mission. In light of this information, it was not prudent for the department’s exchanges to continue selling them.” The ban, however, does not include the use of Huawei and ZTE equipment in the military bases. Although The Pentagon also added that it is contemplating the option of sending out a military-wide advisory about the perceived dangers of Huawei and ZTE hardware. In addition, military personnel can still obtain and keep devices purchased from other OEMs.

Huawei has responded to the ban in a statement issued to The Verge:

“Huawei’s products are sold in 170 countries worldwide and meet the highest standards of security, privacy, and engineering in every country we operate globally, including the US. We remain committed to openness and transparency in everything we do and want to be clear that no government has ever asked us to compromise the security or integrity of any of our networks or devices.”

An unnamed source told The Wall Street Journal that military leaders are worried that China could use Huawei and ZTE devices to locate soldiers in the field. Both Huawei and ZTE state that no such capability exists.We think so too and the ban is turning out to be one huge joke takn too far. For one, there has been no established evidence to back the suspicions.

Before now, the U.S authorities had issued an advice to citizens against buying Huawei or ZTE smartphone. This resulted in AT&T pulling out of a deal with Huawei to sell its smartphones in the U.S. Online retailer, Best Buy also halted sales of Huawei smartphones on its website.  Even with these hurdles, Huawei is still dogged about its entry into the U.S even though it seems to have shifted focus from the market. The Chinese manufacturer’s smartphones, including those under the Honor brand are still being sold in the U.S via Amazon. Too bad that the Huawei P20 Pro which  is currently one of the best-reviewed Android phones is not available in the U.S.

Read More: Huawei P20 Pro Is The Best-Selling Huawei Flagship Phone In Western Europe

Unfortunately, ZTE is in a deeper mess which is unconnected to this issue. The U.S authorities slammed a seven years ban on ZTE for its flagrant violations of Iranian trade bans. The ban means American companies are now banned from selling products, including softwares to the Chinese smartphone manufacturer.

(source)

The post Pentagon Bans Sales of Huawei & ZTE Devices on U.S Military Bases appeared first on Gizmochina.

The U.S government’s push to stop Huawei from gaining grounds in the U.S market has again reared its ugly head. Huawei recently launched the Honor 7X as Mate SE in the U.S and the midrange smartphone is presently available on Amazon and Best Buy for $229. But according to a report by CNBC, the device is “from a company that the U.S. government has warned consumers against purchasing products from”.

There isn’t an indication of a fresh report that specifically warns against the Mate SE but the news report seems to re-echo the warning issued last month by leaders of the CIA, FBI and NSA, as well as the director of national intelligence, which stated that private citizens in the U.S. shouldn’t buy phones from two major Chinese smartphone and telecommunication equipment manufacturers, Huawei and ZTE.

The FBI Director Chris Wray while testifying during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in February had stated among other things that; “We’re deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don’t share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks.” The FBI director also expressed concerns that such products gives Chinese smartphone makers access or even “control” over the U.S. telecommunications system and “provides the capacity to maliciously modify or steal information” and “conduct undetected espionage.”

Read More: Huawei Looking To Strengthen UK Ties After US Expansion Plan Falls Through

There has been no established evidence that this is the case with Huawei. The company, as well as ZTE denied any malicious activities over their operations in the U.S or elsewhere. Huawei in a statement released to CNBC last month stated that; “Huawei is aware of a range of U.S. government activities seemingly aimed at inhibiting Huawei’s business in the U.S. market”. The statement continued, “Huawei is trusted by governments and customers in 170 countries worldwide and poses no greater cybersecurity risk than any ICT vendor, sharing as we do common global supply chains and production capabilities.” While we are not in a position to speak on such security concerns, it is possible this is just a ploy to prevent the company from edging out Apple from its stronghold. The Mate 10 Pro was a formidable device that could have shaken the U.S market but at the last minute, AT&T backed down from an agreement to sell the model in the U.S. Of course, the U.S market is carrier-dependent and so it is difficult to break into the market without the support of the major carriers. Huawei is now shifting its focus to the UK and India.

(source)

The post US Government Warns Users Not To Buy The Huawei Mate SE appeared first on Gizmochina.