Security News > 2020 > January > UK Considers Limited Role for Huawei in 5G Rollout: Report

U.K. officials are considering a proposal to allow China's Huawei to play a limited role in providing certain equipment for the country's 5G rollout, which would defy calls from the U.S. for a complete ban of telecom gear from the company, Reuters reports.

Britain's National Security Council, which is chaired by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is scheduled to meet in the coming days to decide whether to deploy Huawei equipment within the country's 5G networks, according to Reuters, which cited unnamed U.K. government sources.

To add to the pressure on countries considering using 5G equipment from Huawei, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., on Tuesday introduced a bill in the House that would block the U.S. from sharing intelligence with countries that use Huawei equipment in their 5G networks.

Industry sources told the Guardian that they believe the U.K. will formally designate Huawei a "High-risk vendor," which would place the company under further supply restrictions, including imposing a cap on its market share within the U.K. Some rival telecom suppliers told the Guardian that there can be no real distinction between core and non-core equipment because 5G generates greater speeds by having 5G networks' intelligence in base stations, rather than at the heart of the network.

A spokesperson for the British prime minister's office declined to comment on the debates over Huawei or what role the company could play the country's 5G network rollout.

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https://www.inforisktoday.com/uk-considers-limited-role-for-huawei-in-5g-rollout-report-a-13646