UK government expected to order removal of Huawei 5G equipment by 2025, report
Meanwhile, Huawei has requested a meeting with the Prime Minister as last-ditch effort to delay its removal
The UK government is expected to order removal of equipment made by Chinese firm Huawei from British 5G telecoms networks by 2025, the Telegraph reported last week.
According to the newspaper, UK ministers want Huawei's removal from the country's networks within five years.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden will make a statement on the issue in the House of Commons on Tuesday, where he will discuss the future role of Huawei and will likely announce a 2025 deadline for the firm's removal from British mobile networks.
In January, the government decided to allow Huawei to build 35 per cent of the UK's next generation of internet infrastructure - a decision that eventually led to a rebellion on Conservative Party's own benches. Since then, a large number of Tory MPs have been demanded a ban on the Chinese firm over concerns that it has ties with China's ruling Communist Party.
The government also faces pressure from the US to ban the Chinese firm on security grounds.
In May, a report by Financial Times said that Johnson had asked officials to come up with plans to cut the involvement of Chinese firm in Britain's telecoms infrastructure to zero by 2023.
Last month, the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reportedly directed telecom firms to stockpile networking gears sold by Huawei in the wake of US trade sanctions. The NCSC fears that the Chinese company may not be able to maintain critical supplies and to provide updates for its equipment while facing a trade ban from the US.
Last week, executives from Vodafone and BT, two of the UK's largest telecoms providers, told the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee that eliminating Huawei from the Britain's infrastructure will not only be immensely expensive but could also lead to lengthy disruptions in service, if done too quickly.
The companies said that they need at least five years to avoid major disruption to UK's upcoming superfast networks.
"Should the guidance become stricter it will have an effect, it will delay the rollout of our 5G, it will have cost implications and focus our investment in the removal of the existing equipment," Andrea Dona, Vodafone UK's head of networks told the MPs.
According to The Times, Huawei is seeking to delay its potential removal from UK's infrastructure until after elections in June 2025, in hopes that the future government may reverse the decision.
The company has requested a meeting with the Prime Minister as last-ditch effort to strike a deal with the government to delay its removal.
As part of the deal, Huawei will pledge to maintain its equipment (also used in the 2G, 3G and 4G networks) in the UK, the report added.
Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to London, also warned British lawmakers last week that eliminating Huawei from UK's infrastructure would send a "very bad message" to Chinese firms and investors.
The government is expected to publish an update on Huawei before 22nd July, according to a government official.