The United Kingdom has banned Huawei Technologies from all core parts of the 5G network and access to some non-core parts will be restricted.
The order came from British Prime Minister, Theresa May following a meeting of ministers on the National Security Council (NSC).
Huawei will be allowed to supply some “non-core” technology to UK phone companies, insiders said, but several ministers in the meeting on Tuesday raised concerns even about that concession, arguing instead for a total ban on the supplier.
According to a source, the Chinese technology giant and world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spy operations.
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Britain will allow Huawei limited access to the network.
The chairman of Britain’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat, said it was very difficult to make a distinction between the core and non-core in 5G due to the way the network is built.
“It still raises concerns,” he told BBC Radio. “The definition of core and non-core is a very difficult one with 5G.
“(5G) does change from a faster internet system into an internet system that can genuinely connect everything, and therefore the distinction between non-core and core is much harder to make.”
In what some have compared to the Cold War arms race, the United States is worried that 5G dominance would give any global competitor such as China an advantage Washington is not ready to accept.
5G, which will offer much faster data speeds and become the foundation stone of many industries and networks, is a revolutionary technology, according to senior Western cyber experts.
Yetunde Adegoke
