Huawei Restrictions Could Delay UK 5G

Restrictions on Huawei could delay 5G deployment by up to two years, experts have warned.

19:29 04 August 2019

The UK Government is yet to make a decision whether to ban Huawei’s equipment from being used in 5G networks. It has been under pressure from the US government to ban the Chinese firm amid allegations that it could be used by Beijing to spy on people. Huawei has denied the allegations vehemently assuring the public that it operates independently from the Chinese government.

 

 

 

As Huawei equipment is already deeply embedded into the UK’s telecoms infrastructure, experts warned that severing ties with the firm would delay 5G deployment by up to two years. This could prevent the UK from becoming a world leader in the next generation connectivity and it would cost the Government as much as £6.8billion.

 

 

 

Despite the uncertainty on government’s plans over Huawei, all four UK operators are set to launch 5G networks by the end of this year. 02 UK has finally followed EE and Vodafone footsteps, which has both switched their networks in recent months. Three, on the other hand, will launch its network in August.

 

 

 

O2 UK CEO Mark Evans said: “5G is going to be a game changer for our country. Whether it’s for people or businesses, the power of this next-generation network is going to unlock a world of possibilities for our economy and society.

 

 

 

“As we switch on our network across the country, our intelligence-led roll-out prioritises the key areas in towns and cities first – the places where our customers need, and will use, 5G the most. We’re also giving our customers maximum flexibility with our industry-leading custom plans, letting people adopt 5G at a time that’s right for them.”