The government confirmed that Huawei technology must be removed from the U.K.’s 5G public networks by the end of 2027
The U.K. government extended the deadline for local carriers to remove Huawei’s equipment and services in core network functions to December 31, 2023, from the original deadline of January 28, 2023, the U.K. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said in a statement.
The government said the decision to postpone this deadline was adopted following consultations with local carriers. U.K. carrier BT had previously requested an extension to the U.K. government’s deadline for removing Huawei equipment from its core network.
The government also noted that the previous deadline to remove all Huawei equipment from 5G networks in the U.K. by the end of 2027 remains unchanged.
The government confirmed that Huawei technology must be removed from the U.K.’s 5G public networks by the end of 2027 under legal documents handed to broadband and mobile operators on October 13.
The document, which has been sent to 35 telecoms network operators, puts the government’s previous position to remove Huawei kit from local 5G networks on a legal footing.
The decision by the U.K. government also stipulated an immediate ban on the installation of new Huawei equipment in 5G networks as well as a requirement to limit the presence of Huawei gear to 35% of the full fiber access network by October 31, 2023;
“We must have confidence in the security of our phone and internet networks which underpin so much about our economy and everyday lives. Thanks to this government’s tough new laws we can drive up the security of telecoms infrastructure and control the use of high-risk equipment,” said Digital Secretary Michelle Donelan.
“Today I’m using these powers and making it a legal requirement for Huawei to be removed from 5G networks by 2027,” he added.
The U.K. government also highlighted that Huawei has been issued a separate document which categorizes the company as a high-risk vendor of 5G network equipment and services.
In 2020, the U.K. government banned the use of Huawei components in local operators’ networks, following the sanctions imposed by the U.S. government. Huawei said its equipment did not pose any risk for national security.
In 2020, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce had announced restrictions on Huawei’s ability to use U.S. chipmaking equipment and software to design and manufacture its semiconductors abroad. Huawei was added to the Entity List in May 2019, after the Department of Commerce concluded that the vendor was engaged in activities that were contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interest, something that has been denied by the firm.
Last year, Huawei’s representatives had said that that the company was not expecting the Biden administration to remove the company from the Entity List.
Huawei had reported overall revenues of CNY301.6 billion (currently $41.8 billion) in the first half of the year, down 5.9% year-on-year. The vendor said its overall performance in the period “was in line with [its] forecast”.
Huawei’s Carrier Business Group grew 4.24% to CNY 142.7 billion in the period. In the first half of 2021, revenues from this business division had declined by 14%
“Our strategy for operations in 2022 revolves around surviving and doing so sustainably. First, this goal means we will do everything we can to guarantee the quality of the products and solutions we offer to our customers. Second, solid operations are also a must if we are going to survive and do so sustainably. The third layer of ‘surviving sustainably’ is continuously investing in innovation for the future,” Hu had previously said, during Huawei Global Analyst Summit 2022.
