UK ban installation of new Huawei 5G kit from September 2021
The UK government on Monday announced that it will ban British telecommunication companies from installing new Huawei 5G kit after September 2021, as part of its plan to phase out the Chinese tech giant’s 5G infrastructure.
“We are taking bold steps to implement one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world,” Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said in a statement.
“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,” he said.
“This will be done through new and unprecedented powers to identify and ban telecom equipment which poses a threat to our national security,” the minister said.
Dowden’s new deadline comes ahead of a debate on the Telecommunications (Security) Bill in parliament on Monday.
Britain has already ordered all Huawei equipment to be removed from its 5G network by the end of 2027, falling in line with intelligence allies including the United States who say the firm poses security risks.
China has criticised that decision, while Huawei said last week it was disappointed Britain was looking to exclude it from the 5G roll-out after the publication of new laws that could see firms fined 100,000 pounds ($133,140) if they break the ban.
