UK to ban installation of new Huawei 5G kit from September
The UK government on Monday announced that British telecom companies will not be allowed to install new Huawei 5G equipment after September 2021.
“We are taking bold steps to implement one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world. A central part of that is combating high-risk vendors, and I have set out an unambiguous timetable for the complete removal of Huawei equipment from our 5G networks no later than 2027. This will be done through new and unprecedented powers to identify and ban telecom equipment which poses a threat to our national security”, digital secretary Oliver Dowden said in a statement.
The move is part of the country’s plan to phase out the Chinese tech giant’s 5G infrastructure. In July, Britain reversed its policy to allow Huawei to provide infrastructure for its 5G network under pressure from the United States, which has been lobbying for a 5G ban among its western allies. The UK gave the telecom companies until 2027 to remove Huawei’s technology from their 5G networks.
Last year, the US added Huawei to its trade blacklist, amid concerns that its 5G equipment enables the Chinese government to spy on other nations. In May, Washington banned American technology for Chinese processor chips.
Under the new legislation, British telecom companies could be fined up to 10% of turnover or €111,434 a day if they contravene the ban.
