News: HTA Vodafone Hutchison Australia partners with Nokia to kick off 5G rollout

Dec 30 (Reuters) - Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Ltd (HTA) said on Monday its broadband services joint venture with Vodafone VOD.L had partnered with Nokia NOKIA.HE to roll out 5G services in Australia.

In a statement, Hutchison said Vodafone Hutchison Australia, the 50-50 joint venture, would kick off its 5G rollout in the first half of 2020 with Nokia as the network vendor.

The partnership was the final step in a long process, it said, following the security guidance given by the country's federal government in August 2018.

Australia expanded its national security rules to exclude telecommunication equipment suppliers that it believes have ties to foreign governments, a move that disallowed Huawei Technologies Co Ltd from the country's 5G rollout.