Huawei banned from UK 5G network

The government has ordered mobile phone companies to stop buying 5G equipment from the Chinese company Huawei and to remove all its kit from their 5G networks by 2027.

The decision was announced in the House of Commons on 14 July by the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden. It reverses a decision made in January to allow Huawei a limited role.

Why the change?

The government says the decision follows new sanctions imposed by the United States in May, which restrict Huawei's access to chips made using American technology. The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, concluded that it could no longer guarantee the security of Huawei's equipment under those conditions.

The United States has long argued that Huawei's equipment could be used by the Chinese government for spying or sabotage. Huawei has always denied this, saying it is a private company owned by its employees.

What happens now?

Mobile operators will be banned from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after 31 December this year. All Huawei equipment must be removed from 5G networks by the end of 2027.

The government says the decision will delay the rollout of 5G in Britain by two to three years and add up to £2 billion to the cost.

Huawei equipment will still be allowed in older 3G and 4G networks and in broadband networks, although operators have been told to reduce their reliance on the company.

Reaction

Huawei said the decision was bad news for anyone in the UK with a mobile phone, and that it would move Britain into the digital slow lane. The company has employed thousands of people in Britain and has worked with British phone networks for years.

Some Conservative MPs, who have pressed for a tougher approach to China, welcomed the decision, although some wanted the ban to take effect sooner.

China's ambassador has said the decision is disappointing and wrong, and has warned it could affect Chinese investment in Britain.

Relations with China

The decision comes at a time of rising tension between Britain and China, over issues including Hong Kong, where China has imposed a new security law, and the treatment of the Uighur people.

The government says it wants to build up alternative suppliers so that Britain is not dependent on any single company for its telecoms networks.