Earlier this month, news came out that AT&T had backed out of a deal to offer Huawei's flagship Mate 10 Pro in the U.S., and it was said that the decision was made due to government pressure. Now it looks like the U.S. government wants AT&T even further away from Huawei.
U.S. lawmakers are advising AT&T to cut its commercial ties with Huawei and oppose plans by China Mobile to enter the U.S. market, according to Reuters. Specifically, U.S. senators and House members want AT&T to end its partnership with Huawei on its 5G network efforts, while others don't like AT&T prepaid brand Cricket selling Huawei smartphones.
As for why U.S. lawmakers want AT&T to sever ties with Huawei, it's said that they've got national security concerns. Some security experts are concerned that data from Huawei devices could be made available to Chinese government intelligence services.
Huawei has vigorously fought these types of security concerns in the past, recently saying that it sells equipment through more than 45 of the world top 50 carriers. Huawei also said that customer privacy and security it a top priority.
While Huawei is a major player in several mobile markets overseas, the company has yet to gain much traction in the U.S. A deal to sell the Mate 10 Pro in AT&T stores could've really helped since most U.S. consumers buy their phones from their carriers, but Huawei currently only sells phones unlocked in the U.S. This news could further dampen Huawei's hopes of becoming a big name in the U.S.