UK government’s Huawei decision delayed
July 23, 2019
A decision on whether Chinese firm Huawei should be excluded from the rollout of 5G mobile phone networks in the UK has been postponed. Culture secretary Jeremy Wright said the government is “not yet in a position” to decide what involvement Huawei should have in the 5G network.
Wright said the implication of the recent US ban on its companies from dealing with Huawei was not clear. Until it was, he said the government would be “wrong” to make a decision.
“We will do so as soon as possible,” he told the House of Commons.
The US banned companies from selling components and technology to Huawei and 68 related companies back in May, citing national security concerns. It later issued a temporary licence that enabled some companies to continue supporting existing Huawei networks and devices.
Wright said the US decision “could have a potential impact on the future availability and reliability of Huawei’s products, together with other market impacts, and so are relevant considerations in determining Huawei’s involvement in the network”.