SaskTel has selected Samsung as its sole provider to supply the province’s telecommunication company with its 4G/5G Radio Access Network. Samsung will supply all hardware, software and associated expertise. Last summer SaskTel announced it would not use infrastructure from Huawei Technologies in its 5G network.

Bell and Telus had previously made that decision as well and the government pointed out that they need to make sure what SaskTel does remains compatible with those two companies. As well, the government cited security concerns with Huawei.

Not many Canadians knew about Huawei prior to the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou  in December 2018, under the umbrella of an agreement with the United States after the U.S. issued an extradition request.  Since her arrest, she has been luxuriously ensconced in her Vancouver home under part time house arrest with provisions to travel the lower Mainland accompanied by security guards. Two Canadians – Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor – were detained shortly after her arrest and kept in Chinese jails with limited contact with Canadian consular officials.