TRA issues clarification on impact of Huawei ban on UAE consumers

Dubai: The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) is assuring consumers in the UAE that they will be able to continue using their Huawei devices amid efforts by the US government to blacklist the Chinese company.

In a statement issued late Thursday, the TRA said it had been in talks with representatives from the Asian tech giant in order to ascertain how the US trade ban will impact customers in the UAE.

“Huawei confirmed that all its products being sold in the local market, including its stock in warehouses, will not be affected by the recent developments,” the TRA said in a statement sent to Gulf News.

The United States’ Commerce Department announced this month that due to security concerns, Huawei has been added to its “Entity List,” effectively restricting the world’s largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment from dealing with US companies. The department said the firm is deemed to have been "engaged in activities that are contrary to US national security or foreign policy interest."

Following the move, the Chinese company has reportedly been blocked by Google from using its apps, including Gmail and Maps.

Some users in UAE had earlier expressed concerns that they won’t be able to access Google’s applications on their Huawei smartphones as a result of the ban.

“I have just bought my Huawei phone a few months ago. Does the ban mean I won’t be able to use any apps from Google? I’m really worried,” a Huawei user told Gulf News.

The TRA assured that the rights of consumers in UAE are of top priority. “All vendors and manufacturers of the telecom devices have to protect the consumers’ rights and provide all related services to keep stability of the UAE telecom market,” the TRA said.