Borie Ekhlom : “If we are afraid of competition innovation will stand still”

Borje Ekholm, Ericsson CEO said “ Huawei tensions had caused paralysis among European operators as right now we are at risk of focusing on only one question. All our customers are trying to work out what this means and that is causing uncertainty.”

Last week, the GSMA, the mobile industry trade body had issued a warning which said the debate on equipment and a potential ban could increase costs for European operators, businesses and citizens and could jeopardise the functioning of existing 4G networks and delay the launch of 5G for years.”

In Europe 5G is still being tested while in other parts of the world countries are further on,” it is full steam ahead in the US, Australia and Asia. We sit here in Europe and the majority countries have not even sold spectrum yet. You are creating a positive investment environment in Europe and that is the problem. Europe used to lead the world in wireless development but today as a continent we do not.”

A ban on Huawei could hurt competition and potentially innovation  and rejected the notion that the Chinese had more advanced equipment. Ericsson kit was used in live 5G networks  and the company had signed 10 deals and 42 memorandums of understanding with global networks. “If we are afraid of competition, innovation will stand still.”