Canada bans China's Huawei, ZTE from its networks
The Canadian government's decision means that telecom companies in the country will no longer be permitted to use Huawei and ZTE equipment.
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The move follows those of the US and other key allies.
Canada has announced that it will prohibit two of China's largest telecom equipment manufacturers from working on its 5G phone networks.
The fifth generation, or 5G, of mobile internet networks provides much faster data download and upload speeds. It also enables more devices to connect to the internet at the same time.
The country's Industry Minister announced the restrictions against Huawei and ZTE on Thursday.
Francois-Philippe Champagne claimed the step will improve Canada's mobile internet services and "protect the safety and security of Canadians."
“As a result, telecommunications companies that operate in Canada would no longer be permitted to make use of designated equipment or services provided by Huawei and ZTE,” Champagne said.
“As well, companies that already use this equipment installed in their networks would be required to cease its use and remove it. The government intends to implement these measures as part of a broader agenda to promote the security of Canada’s telecommunications networks and in consultation with industry,” he added.
Following similar moves by the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, Canada has become the fifth and final member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group to ban or restrict Huawei's access to the country's 5G networks over espionage allegations.
