Security News > 2020 > June > Britain Pushing US to Form 5G Club of Nations to Cut Out Huawei
Britain said Friday it was pushing the United States to form a club of 10 nations that could develop its own 5G technology and reduce dependence on China's controversial telecoms giant Huawei.
Britain has allowed the Chinese global leader in 5G technology to build up to 35 percent of the infrastructure necessary to roll out its new speedy data network.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was reported by The Daily Telegraph last week to have instructed officials to draw up plans to cut Huawei out of the network by 2023 as relations with China sour.
A Downing Street spokesman confirmed that Britain is reaching out to partners in search for an alternative to Huawei.
Johnson's reported plan to completely remove Huawei from the UK network could prove costly at a time when his government is seeking new trade partners following Britain's exit from the EU. It is also proving difficult to implement because private UK firms are pushing for the technology in order to stay competitive in a tight market.