The National Security Council reached a decision on Tuesday, reports The Telegraph.
Background: Several countries are assessing the possible security risks posed by the use of Chinese equipment in 5G network deployment. Since 2018, pressure has piled on Huawei, which has faced restrictions in 5G networks of Australia, New Zealand, and the US. In the UK, the Government has been carrying out a Telecoms Supply Chain Review; the result of which is expected to determine whether Chinese equipment would be allowed in the country’s 5G infrastructure.
The Decision: On Wednesday, the National Security Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, apparently decided that Huawei equipment can be used in “non-core” infrastructure. Access networks, such as mobile operators’ antennas, will be able to continue to use Huawei equipment. Earlier this year, the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) had taken the view that any risk posed by Huawei appears to be manageable.
Why it matters: The decision has both political and industry implications. Mobile operators currently use Huawei in a significant proportion of their access network; given the nature of the first generation of 5G, a ban would have also forced them to replace a large share of their 4G infrastructure. It is likely that the Government’s stance will not be well received by the US, which have put pressure on Western countries to exclude the Chinese vendor. The UK Government’s decision comes at a time when the EU and individual European countries are considering rules that apply to all vendors, rather than singling out specific providers. A recent study by Assembly found that excluding Huawei in the UK could result in a delay of 5G of up to two years, and cost the UK economy as much as £6.8bn.
