Huawei knocks local revenue out of the park

Chinese tech giant Huawei has reported local revenues of $368 million for 2012, a 60 percent jump on the previous 12 months.

Helping to drive the result, the company said revenues for its carrier business doubled year on year. Global revenues for the same period hit $US35 billion, with profits up 25 percent to $2.4 billion.

Huawei has had a rocky time of things in Australia, having been shut out of the National Broadband Network bid because of unspecified national security reasons. The decision to stonewall Huawei was taken by the government on the advice of ASIO.

Despite the company’s national security woes – sparked, in part, by the perception the company is too close to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) - it has also had some significant wins. These wins include a 2011 deal with troubled mobile operator Vodafone to upgrade close to 8000 mobile base stations.

It is also rumoured the company is in the running to build out Optus’ national 4G network. The rumours also sparked a response from local Huawei chair John Lord, saying the company would evaluate a local stock listing in a bid for greater financial and operational transparency.

Prime minister Julia Gillard, on a recent visit to China, also met with Huawei representatives. In a press statement, Huawei said the PM pressed Huawei to persist in building relationships between the two countries.