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Banning Huawei would have set UK back years

by on29 January 2020


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The UK government has given the green light for telecoms firms to use Huawei technology in “non-core” parts of the country’s 5G networks, reports leading data and analytics company GlobalData.

Globaldata’s technology editor Lucy Ingham says: “This means that while the Chinese tech giant’s infrastructure will be allowed in some parts of UK 5G infrastructure, it will not be permitted to be used in sensitive parts of the network. Under the decision, Huawei will not be permitted to be used for more than 35 per cent of the ‘non-core’ infrastructure. At present, 28 percent of 5G infrastructure in the UK has been made by Huawei.

She said: “This was always going to be the most likely decision. Despite security concerns from the US and others, the UK already has too much Huawei technology built into its 5G network and the 3G and 4G networks that underpin it. A total ban would have required massive amounts of infrastructure to be torn out at an eye-watering expense and would have set the UK’s 5G rollout back by years. It was simply never a practical option to ban Huawei completely, but a restriction to non-core areas of the technology enables the UK to bow in part to the US’ wishes.”

The decision goes against fierce lobbying from the US, which says Huawei is a national security threat and blacklisted the Chinese tech firm last year.

Baroness Nicky Morgan, in a written statement to the House of Lords, rejected US concerns that the inclusion of Huawei in UK 5G infrastructure would jeopardise the country’s role in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing community.

Baroness Morgan wrote: “Nothing in the review’s conclusions affects this country’s ability to share highly sensitive intelligence data over highly secure networks, both within the UK and with our partners, including the Five Eyes.

GCHQ has categorically confirmed that how the UK constructs its 5G and full-fibre public telecoms networks have nothing to do with how the Government shares classified data.”

 

Last modified on 29 January 2020
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