Bell and Telus are using Huawei equipment now to deploy fibre-optic networks covertly, just how much work has been completed to date!

Bell and Telus are using Huawei equipment now
to deploy fibre-optic networks covertly, for awhile now. Just how much work has been completed to date!

JAN 25, 2019










National carriers Bell and Telus after being probed,  confirmed that in recent years they have been using Huawei fibre-optic cables to build out fixed-line networks, despite growing cybersecurity concerns surrounding the company.                                                                                                
According to anonymous sources cited in a January 24th Globe and Mail article, both carriers have spent billions over the past years to replace legacy copper telephone wires with fibre-optic cables. The upgrade delivers faster internet speeds and services. Both carriers used Huawei as an “additional vendor” to put pressure on its main supplier, Finland’s Nokia, for better prices and terms.                                                                                                             
Canada is currently in the middle of a huge mess with China over telecommunications giant Huawei and the arrest of its global chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou. Meng was arrested in Vancouver while in transit to Mexico. She was granted bail but currently faces extradition to the U.S., where authorities reportedly said she deceived international banks to funnel transactions between Huawei and Iran. Meng has maintained that Huawei has no connection or involvement.     


                                                                                        
In Canada, Huawei has been partnered with Bell and Telus to provide equipment to deploy 5G mobile network infrastructure, quietly. Currently, Canada is conducting two reviews, one on the future of 5G technology in Canada, and another on the cybersecurity concerns surrounding Huawei and whether the government should ban them for national security concerns over spying.                                                                  
The U.S. banned Huawei in August out of fear of cybersecurity, and spying concerns. Following the U.S., Australia and New Zealand also banned the company. Since then the UK has done so. The four nations are part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group that shares information and intelligence regarding terrorism, security and espionage. Canada is the other member, and has not banned Huawei. We ask why?                                                                                             
 The Globe and Mail reports that Bell and Telus used Huawei for its gigabit-capable passive optical network (GPON), which is generally used to fill in the last stretch of connection between a network provider and the customer. According to the publication’s sources, to deploy this type of system, there is a terminal located somewhere in a neighbourhood that contains a large strand of fibre split into tiny strands. A second terminal, much smaller, is placed in a customer’s home and an optical signal is sent from the main terminal strands using light. It’s converted into ethernet signal and then connected to the user’s modem. The equipment is part of the network core where sensitive data is stored, and the sources said that the carriers are working with the government testing the security of this equipment.                                                  
This security testing "arrangement" is similar to the agreement the federal government has with carriers that use Huawei for radios and antennas but not in their core network.                                                                                     

MobileSyrup has reached out to Bell and Telus for comment and will update the article with additional information.                          
In the Globe and Mail’s report, Bell Spokesperson Marc Choma said that the company works with several network equipment providers to supply equipment in deploying GPON. He added that suppliers go through security screening.                                                                                                 
To reassure us, Telus spokesman Richard Gilhooley said the carrier doesn't rely on Huawei very much, that the company mainly uses Nokia’s technology.