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Senators Want To Punish Nokia, Siemens Over Iran

Posted by kdawson on from the no-cookies-for-you dept.

fast66 writes "After hearing about Nokia-Siemens sale of Internet-monitoring software to Iran, US Senators Schumer and Graham want to bar them from receiving federal contracts. They planned the action after hearing about a joint venture of Nokia Corp. of Finland and Siemens AG of Germany that sold a sophisticated Internet-monitoring system to Iran in 2008. According to Nextgov.com, Schumer and Graham's bill would require the Obama administration to identify foreign companies that export sensitive technology to Iran and ban them from bidding on federal contracts, or renew expiring ones, unless they first stop exports to Iran."

4 of 392 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Because Cisco would never do such a thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    That is bullshit (forgive linking to a press release, but Nokia Siemens Networks doesn't even make equipment as described).

    It looks like Nokia Siemens sold exactly the things which the USA forced them to include in their system and nothing more. Most of the legal interception requirements have been driven by the US in the first place.

  2. THIS IS THE ONLY RELEVANT POST SO FAR by da_matta · · Score: 5, Informative

    As stated in the linked article:
    - It's a piece of standard 3GPP (=GSM) equipment for lawful intercept, i.e. to allow law enforcement to wiretap calls (according guidelines set by local law).
    - It only handles voice calls and does not allow internet traffic monitoring, let alone deep packet inspection.
    - The equipment is compliant with EU and UN export regulations

    Also, it's much less of a privacy threat than the mechanisms currently in place in US, UK (and I'm sure EU).

  3. Re:Because Cisco would never do such a thing by Unipuma · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, the EU is doing its work, and fining companies who abuse their monopoly.
    http://www.sortedsites.info/general-stuff/eu-fine-telefonica.htm
    (Which, in case you were wondering is an European company)
    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aasUT7jU_bd8
    (Also European)

    It doesn't matter what country your company is from, if you abuse the rules, they go after you. They might even go after all those bank bailouts:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/dealAtoms/idUS391610202420090605

  4. Re:First uncensored post by bigtomrodney · · Score: 5, Informative

    The US has an embargo on Iran and Nokia Siemens broke it.

    Nokia Siemens is a joint venture with its headquarters in Finland. The two contributing companies are Nokia, who were founded and are headed in Finland and Siemens were founded and are headed in Germany. The United States of America set an embargo on the country and yet all others are expected to follow - this is what's wrong with the American outlook.

    I'm just glad I've been able to buy Cuban cigars legally in my country all along.

    --
    I never get used to these constant resurrections