The UK government has reportedly released an update on their plans to phase out Huawei technology by 2027, now introducing a ban on the installation of new Huawei 5G equipment from September 2021. The decision follows plans announced in July declaring that UK firms will be barred from purchasing new Huawei equipment beginning in January 2021, due to national security concerns. The new announcement means that telecoms companies who have bought Huawei equipment ahead of the January date will not be able to utilize it for long term 5G rollouts. Some companies have allegedly been stockpiling Huawei products since the July announcement.
Parliament will be debating new legislation regarding the topic this week, commencing the process of enshrining the ban in law and deciding how it will be enforced. Under the UK’s Telecommunications Security Bill, companies could be fined up to 10% of turnover if they fail to comply with the standards. Several firms such as Ericsson and Nokia have been competing to win contracts to replace Huawei’s equipment, however, the government has declared that it plans to invest £250 million in small businesses to aid them in reducing the impact of removing Huawei equipment.
Read More: UK bans installation of new Huawei 5G equipment from September
