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Bloomberg
The UK delayed restrictions on Huawei Technologies Co.’s use in broadband networks after BT Group Plc said the original deadline could lead to outages.
The restriction on Huawei’s use in network cores — which manage sensitive data and tasks, including security and control functions — will now go into effect in December 2023 rather than January, the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said in a statement on Thursday.
A cap on Huawei’s use in the fiber access networks was also moved to October 2023 from July, the department said. The ultimate deadline, to remove Huawei from the country’s 5G networks by the end of 2027, is unchanged.
The original interim deadlines “could have led to network outages and disruption for customers, due to delays caused by the pandemic and global supply chain issues†for a small number of operators, the DCMS said in the statement, adding that companies should strive to meet the original targets wherever possible.
The government made rules restricting the use of Huawei’s components in telecom networks legally binding in a letter to 35 operators on Thursday.
The department said that following US sanctions, it’s become too difficult to verify the security of Huawei’s components.
BT, the country’s biggest telecom network operator, said in June that it had asked for more time to replace Huawei’s equipment because of supply chain concerns. Huawei said it’s disappointed in the UK’s decision and has consistently denied that its components aren’t secure. The Chinese company said it works closely with operators and has submitted itself to a high level of government scrutiny.