Info Tech
U.S. concern over Huawei telecoms deal with South Korea
WASHINGTON – The heads of two U.S. Senate committees overseeing national security have expressed concern to the Obama administration over a recent network supply deal between China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Washington ally South Korea.
South Korea, which hosts some 28,000 U.S. soldiers to deter potential provocation from North Korea, said Huawei’s deal to supply mobile network equipment does raise security concerns, but it had no immediate plan to look into the issue. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is due to visit Seoul later this week as part of a broader Asia trip.
LG Uplus Corp, South Korea’s third-largest mobile carrier, added Huawei to its fourth-generation mobile network vendor list in October to boost competition. It was already working with Samsung Electronics Co, Ericsson and Nokia’s telecoms gear unit.
“There is a security concern when you purchase telecoms equipment from foreign suppliers. It’s not just limited to one specific company,” said Lee Dong-ho, an official in charge of telecoms network regulation at the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning.
“But they are providing equipment in accordance with local regulations, and we also have authorities and proper systems in place aimed at monitoring any security breaches. We don’t have any plan to look into Huawei’s deal at this point,” the official said.
His minister, Choi Mun-kee, told lawmakers in late October “There’s not much the government can do about private companies doing business with Huawei, but there is security concern (involving such deals).”
LG Uplus has said Huawei, the world’s second-largest telecoms equipment maker, would supply equipment, but LG would directly manage and operate the system.
“Unlike some other foreign countries, we directly manage and control our network,” LG Uplus said in a recent statement on the Huawei deal.
“Japan’s Softbank Corp also has been using Huawei equipment for more than two years, but their government hasn’t raised any issues as they operate the system like we do.”
Huawei, whose overseas expansion has stumbled in recent years largely due to security concerns raised by U.S. politicians, said those concerns were groundless.
“Our gear is world-proven and trusted, connecting almost one-third of the world’s population. The motivations of those that might groundlessly purport otherwise are puzzling,” Huawei said in a statement to Reuters.
“Huawei has a proven track record of providing secure products and solutions to our customers. There has never been one incident where Huawei’s commitment to security has ever been called into question.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Chinese companies like Huawei, operating overseas, respect all laws and regulations and contribute to economic development.
“We hope that relevant countries can look upon the commercial activities that Huawei and other Chinese enterprises engage in abroad fairly and impartially, and refrain from politicizing this issue at every turn,” he told reporters.
SECURITY CONCERNS
Democratic Senators Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said media reports on Huawei’s supply deal with LG raised concerns in light of the close security alliance between the United States and South Korea.
“Maintaining the integrity of telecommunications infrastructure is critical to the operational effectiveness of this important security alliance,” they said in a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Secretary of State John Kerry and James Clapper, President Barack Obama’s Director of National Intelligence.
The letter, dated November 27 and obtained by Reuters on Tuesday, underscores how intertwined the communications industry has become with concerns about security.
Last year, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee urged U.S. telecoms companies not to do business with Huawei and its local rival ZTE Corp because it said potential Chinese state influence on the companies posed a security threat.
Both firms have denied they have links to the Chinese government.
Menendez and Feinstein said they were “very interested” to receive the administration officials’ assessment of “potential threats and security concerns” about Huawei’s involvement, as well as any discussions the U.S. government has had with the South Korean government about the importance of network integrity related to the decision.
A senior administration official declined to discuss details of diplomatic discussions involving Seoul, but added, “We do have concerns about Huawei.”
The official noted Huawei was excluded in October 2011 from taking part in the building of a U.S. wireless emergency response network due to national security concerns.
– REUTERS
In efforts at spicing up the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, the management of ITREALMS Media has partnered with E-waste Producer Responsibility Organization of Nigeria (EPRON) membership organisations for a day-long collection scheme of small electronic waste on Friday, December 15, 2023.
The EPRON members aligning their partnership with 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue are EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited and WEEE Eco-Friendly.
ITREALMS’ day-long collection scheme is part of the commemoration of 2023 international E-Waste Day (IEWD) within the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue with the theme “You Can Recycle Anything with a plug, battery or cable” at Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos.
Revealing this collaboration, the Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media, the organisers of the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, Sir. Remmy Nweke, urged mobile device enthusiasts to come along with their devices that have reached their end-of-life to the venue for proper disposition by professionals who would also be on grounds to address some topical issues.
The collection of small electronic wastes especially mobile phones and like-devices, would be carried out by EPRON member organisation, EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited as facilitated by ITREALMS Media group as part of this year’s ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue on Friday, December 15, he added.
He disclosed that the exercise would commence at Welcome Centre Hotel by 9am till close of work hours the same day.
Nweke pointed out that the collection of small e-waste items would include mobile phones, pointers mouse, earpieces, rechargeable torches, phone chargers, to name a few.
Further, he said, that this initiative has become time-serving because some people may have missed any other opportunity before now for the year-long campaign, hence this awareness on e-Waste has to be continuous, “ITREALMS came up with this scheme.”
Nweke beckoned on Nigerians, especially mobile phone users, to leverage the opportunity in disposing of their mobile devices they no longer use, of course in exchange for a voucher or gift item.
In her reaction to this year’s day-long small waste collection, EPRON Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ibukun Faluyi, described the initiative as commendable, expressing confidence it would intensify the collection of end-of-life devices for proper disposition.
Mrs. Faluyi, also urged Nigerians to take advantage of this day-long collection of small wastes courtesy of ITREALMS Media.
Recalling for instance that in October 2022, EPRON had partnered SLOT alongside some UN agencies for collection of small e-waste items in Lagos, including the United Nations Information Centres (UNIC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This is even as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida and Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, would both lead speakers at the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue slated for this Friday, December 15, in Lagos.
Today, September 12, the tech corporation Apple will introduce the iPhone 15, their newest iPhone model.
According to a Forbes story, this model, which will be introduced at the company’s “Wanderlust” event in Cupertino, California, will be available in four variations: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Here are five things you should know about the new iPhone 15 model.
1. The new model is made of titaniu, not stainless steel as some other Apple smartphone models, Senior research analyst at DIGITIMES, Luke Lin reports.
2. The Pro Max model will feature double the optical zoom on the iPhone 14 as it comes with a newly-introduced ‘periscope lens upgrade, performing 5-6x optical zoom.’
3. The Pro models will carry an A17 bionic chip expected to make it perform faster.
4. The iPhone 15 model will feature a USB-C charging port, the same port featured on some Android phone models.
5. Due to its titanium shell, the new model is anticipated to be more expensive to purchase. The following is the speculated price list, as reported by Forbes:
The iPhone 15 starts at $799, the iPhone 15 Plus at $899, the iPhone 15 Pro at $1,099 ($100 increase), and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at $1,299 ($200 increase).
In an effort to reduce the exorbitant cost of Premium Motor Spirit, better known as petrol, the Infrastructure Bank Plc announced its collaboration with FEMADEC Group on Monday to offer 500 buses powered by autogas (Compressed Natural Gas).
Partners in the agreement claimed that the project was created to provide citizens with dependable, affordable, and environmentally friendly travel options, taking into account the negative effects of the nationwide increase in PMS costs.
Under Decree No. 51 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1992 Constitution, the Infrastructure Bank, originally known as the Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, was founded in 1992 to promote the quick development of infrastructure throughout the nation.
In a statement issued in Abuja on its partnership with FEMADEC, the bank said, “The preliminary offer extended by TIB lays a solid foundation for the expansion of FEMADEC Group’s CNG bus fleet.
“With plans to introduce 500 CNG buses within the next five years, commencing with an initial batch of 50 buses in the forthcoming year, this proposal stands poised to instigate significant change.
“The acceptance of this proposition by FEMADEC Group, notably championed by Fola Akinnola, the Group Chief Executive Officer, is a testament to their zeal and dedication to this alliance.”
The bank described the partnership as a “pivotal endeavour that is primed to redefine Nigeria’s public transportation landscape, offering dependable, cost-effective, and ecologically conscious travel alternatives for citizens, while harmonising with the nation’s broader sustainability ambitions.”
“This partnership represents a remarkable stride towards a more ecologically aware future for Nigeria’s transportation sector, highlighting the shared commitment of both TIB and FEMADEC Group to sustainable advancement and progress.”
It said FEMADEC Group’s strides in operating Compressed Natural Gas buses, including the existing fleet of 20 CNG buses under LAMATA, underscored their unwavering dedication to ecologically sound solutions, a commitment predating the fuel subsidy removal.
“Their leadership within the CNG value chain is undeniable, and the new alliance with TIB underscores their foresight.
“This partnership seamlessly aligns with TIB’s sustainability objectives, echoing their resolute endorsement of the government’s net-zero and climate change agenda.
“The bank’s aspiration to champion Nigeria’s infrastructure progress is evident in its endorsement of pivotal initiatives like this, yielding expansive positive impacts on both the environment and society,” the bank stated.
The bank added that it would continue to make a significant contribution to the country’s growth as a leading financial institution committed to advancing effective and long-lasting infrastructure projects.
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