Vodafone has warned UK policymakers that a complete ban on Huawei equipment would undermine the country’s progress in 5G.
“The UK’s leadership in 5G will be lost if mobile operators are forced to spend time and money replacing existing equipment,” Scott Petty, CTO of Vodafone UK, told the Financial Times and Reuters.
Petty emphasized that Vodafone is not dependent on Huawei; the operator is testing kit from Ericsson and other suppliers. Still, he warned that removing Huawei gear from networks would be expensive and would slow the nationwide 5G rollout.
“Efforts should instead be focused on expanding 5G coverage, developing 5G capabilities for UK industry, and investing in the next stage of this important technology,” Petty said.
Huawei’s future in the UK has been uncertain in recent weeks.
In February, the UK government decided to allow some use of Huawei equipment under strict conditions. BT, which owns mobile operator EE, has said complying with those restrictions—even without an outright ban—could cost about £500 million.
That decision provoked strong reactions from allies, several Members of Parliament, and human rights groups.
Tensions between the UK and China—over issues such as Hong Kong and the handling of the coronavirus—have increased pressure on ministers to reconsider the Huawei ruling.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reportedly asked ministers to draw up plans to remove Huawei equipment from national 5G networks by 2023. He has also ordered an emergency review asking the National Cyber Security Centre to assess whether further US sanctions on Huawei would make the company’s technology impractical to use—an outcome that could accelerate Huawei’s exit.
This week Huawei launched a public outreach effort and wrote to the British public offering support to help the UK meet its connectivity objectives.
(Image Credit: ED ROBINSON/ONEREDEYE)
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