Ericsson and Nokia scored wins with a contract to provide 5G equipment to Taiwan’s largest telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom.

Amid a battle for the future of 5G, the U.S. has accused Huawei of being a threat to national security over allegations the company serves as a spying arm for the Chinese government. U.S. officials have waged a campaign to convince governments not to use the Chinese firm, although that campaign has met with limited success. The pressure on Huawei, however, provides a unique opportunity for Ericsson and Nokia to secure contracts with companies concerned about possible security issues.

In the latest deal, with Chunghwa Telecom, Ericsson’s technology will be used in the core network, as well as radio deployment, while Nokia will also be used for radio deployment.

Max Chen, President of the Mobile Business Group, Chunghwa Telecom, says: “In the process of upgrading to 5G networks, we need to shorten the time it takes to launch new features. Ericsson’s 5G core solution enables our 4G core to flexibly evolve into a shared 4G/5G network. Meanwhile, Ericsson’s Cloud VoLTE solution will allow our customers to enjoy a more convenient and higher quality 4G voice service today as well as 5G voice services in the future.”

Chafic Nassif, President of Ericsson Taiwan says: “Our enhanced 5G platform perfectly suits CHT’s needs to quickly launch new services to the market. This cooperation will serve to not only provide Taiwanese consumers and enterprises with the highest quality communication services but also accelerate the overall progress of 5G development in Taiwan.”

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “Our technology will assist Chunghwa Telecom in its early launch of 5G services in Taiwan, while also allowing it to explore new revenue generators across consumer and enterprise markets. As one of the pioneering members of Chunghwa Telecom’s Taiwan 5G Alliance, we will jointly promote the digital transformation for public and private sectors to accelerate 5G momentum in Taiwan.”

The three companies demonstrate that, even in one of the most connected countries in the world, 5G can be successfully deployed without reliance on Huawei’s equipment.