Government hints Huawei will be given role in UK's 5G network
Reported today on The Guardian Technology
For the full article visit: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/23/government-hints-huawei-given-role-uk-5g-network
Government hints Huawei will be given role in UK's 5G network
No 10 source says it would not be viable to exclude Chinese firm despite US warnings
The government has hinted strongly that it will allow the Chinese firm Huawei at least some role in the UK's 5G mobile network, despite warnings from the US that doing so could compromise security.
A Downing Street source said that while no decision had yet been made, it was not viable for the US to seek to exclude Huawei from the UK given the lack of alternative suppliers for the British market.
"The market conditions are not the same in the US and UK," the source said. "You could call it a market failure, but we are where we are."
It follows similar comments by the business secretary, Andrea Leadsom, who told Sky News earlier on Tuesday that not using Huawei would cause problems.
"There are other providers but they are limited," she said. "Ideally there would be more providers of infrastructure similar to the work that Huawei does but the UK is looking very carefully at this issue and we will be making a final decision soon.
"It is an ongoing process and there are all sorts of factors to take into consideration, like the availability of other providers, like the work that Huawei has already done in the United Kingdom, so these discussions are ongoing."
A No 10 spokesman said the issue had not yet been finalised: "The work on the issue of high-risk vendors in the 5G network remains ongoing, and when it's completed it will be announced to parliament."
More follows soon …