Spark New Zealand awarded Samsung with a 5G RAN contract after successful testing of the supplier’s kit at the Spark Lab, which puts new generation technologies to the test.
The vote of confidence is not entirely a surprise. In November 2019, New Zealand’s largest operator Spark paraded with the South Korean supplier alongside Nokia – which appears to spearhead Spark’s first 5G deployments – as part of its supplier trio RAN 5G preferred.
The third supplier on the list will surely raise a few eyebrows, however: it is none other than Huawei.
In 2018, the New Zealand government, under intense pressure from the United States, warned Spark not to use 5G equipment from Chinese suppliers due to suspected fears of a risk to national security.
The New Zealand government and Australia have made no distinction as to the extent of cybersecurity schemes between the RAN and the core. Following U.S. advice from security advisers and President Donald Trump, the two countries have called for a general ban on all 5G equipment from Huawei and its small Chinese rival ZTE.
So what about Huawei’s inclusion on Spark’s list of preferred RAN 5G equipment suppliers? It seems little more than a desperate protest regarding Light Reading – the operator’s nose has undoubtedly been dislocated by not having access to a decent and competitive enough kit – but that won’t worry Samsung. in just one time.
With Huawei sidelined in New Zealand, the South Korean supplier appears to produce 5G hay. According to its press release, Samsung will provide Spark with its latest 5G New Radio (NR) solutions, which include massive “light” MIMO radios.
Samsung could also have the opportunity to deepen the Spark network. The tests at Spark Lab apparently used the supplier’s 5G “end-to-end solutions” to test and verify the potential of next generation technology.
Spark, however, seems to have the 5G core covered. In unveiling its list of preferred 5G providers in November 2019, the operator roughly said that Cisco Systems and Ericsson were the first choices for elements separate from its existing core network, which has already been upgraded to take into account charges the non-autonomous 5G NR.
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– Ken Wieland, collaborating editor, special Light Reading
