Some big tech firms cut employees' access to Huawei, muddying 5G rollout

Apparently, some of the world’s biggest tech companies have told their employees to stop talking about technology and technical standards with counterparts at Huawei in response to the recent US blacklisting of the Chinese tech firm. Chipmakers Intel and Qualcomm, mobile research firm InterDigital Wireless, and South Korean carrier LG Uplus have restricted employees from informal conversations with Huawei, the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker. Such discussions are a routine part of international meetings where engineers gather to set technical standards for communications technologies, including the next generation of mobile networks known as 5G. While the US Department of Commerce has not banned contact between companies and Huawei, these handful of major companies are telling their employees to limit some forms of direct interaction, apparently, as they seek to avoid any potential issues with the US government.