By Anne Morris
Nokia reportedly initiated legal action after it was effectively banned from providing 5G network equipment to mobile operators in Romania.
The Finland-headquartered vendor told Reuters Romania’s government told it in February it would not be allowed to provide 5G infrastructure in the country.
Nokia does not appear to know why Romanian officials made the move, telling the news agency it was “seeking urgent clarification” and had instigated legal proceedings in the meantime.
In 2021, Romania’s government signed-off a bill which would prevent Huawei and other Chinese vendors partnering on 5G networks in the country.
As things stand, the government does not appear to have justified its decision to extend a similar ban to a European vendor such as Nokia.
Local news site hotnews.ro reported neither the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitisation nor the Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) responded to its requests for comment on the matter.
Newspaper Romania Journal noted CSAT has so far approved telecoms and IT contractor Starc4Sys, security and alarms specialist Compania de Paza RO, and IT systems provider Concept Electronics for participation in 5G networks.
