BT has asked the UK government for more time to remove Huawei telecommunications equipment from the most sensitive parts of its network infrastructure.
All mobile and broadband operators must remove any Huawei kit installed in the core layers of their infrastructure by January 28, 2023 as part of a broader ban on the company's technology due to alleged security concerns.
BT is migrating to a new 4G and 5G core powered by cloud-based technologies from Ericsson. However, the company's CTO, Howard Watson, told Bloomberg that supply chain issues caused by the pandemic had slowed progress.
Huawei
Although BT is still working through the original deadline of early next year, it has officially requested an extension.
Huawei has been in the UK market for two decades and was a supplier to all four major mobile operators. However, in July 2020, the government followed the example of the United States and prohibited operators from using the Chinese company's technologies.
The ban is part of a broader set of sanctions against the Chinese company. In July 2021, the government reversed its previous policy and confirmed that all mobile operators would be prohibited from purchasing new 5G radio equipment from Huawei starting in 2021 and must remove all equipment installed on their 5G networks by 2027.
It was a dramatic reversal of previous policy, and at the time the government said it awaited the decision to delay the rollout of 5G for up to three years and add £2bn of additional costs to operators.
No evidence has ever been presented to support the alleged security issues and Huawei has consistently denied the allegations.
Via Bloomberg (Opens in a new tab)