A consultation has been launched with telecoms firms on proposed
legal instruments to control the use of Huawei in UK networks.
UK telecoms providers have already begun to remove Huawei from
the UK’s 5G networks following the government’s announcement
in July 2020. As the next step in this process, the
government is now required by the new Telecommunications (Security)
Act to consult with industry on the proposed measures
which would bring these controls on Huawei onto a legal footing.
In November the Act became law - giving the government the legal
mechanism to restrict the use of high risk vendor equipment in
public networks where deemed necessary and proportionate in the
interests of national security. The new powers will ensure UK
mobile networks remain safe and secure as 5G becomes
progressively more embedded in our national infrastructure,
industries and daily lives.
The legal instruments the government is consulting on are known
as a ‘designated vendor direction’, which contains requirements
that public telecoms providers would need to follow regarding use
of Huawei equipment and services; and a ‘designation notice’
which categorises Huawei as a high-risk vendor.
The consultation will last for four weeks and is only open to
public communications providers which would receive the
direction, and Huawei, as the proposed designated vendor.
The direction, subject to the consultation, legally
requires telecoms operators to:
- Remove all Huawei equipment from 5G networks by the end of
2027.
- Not install Huawei equipment in 5G networks, effective
immediately upon the issuing of the final direction.
- Remove all Huawei equipment from the core of telecoms
networks by 28 January 2023.
- Not install sanctions-affected Huawei equipment in full fibre
networks, effective immediately upon the issuing of the
direction. This includes any equipment for which the supply chain
or manufacturing process has been altered due to the impact of US
sanctions.
- Reduce the share of Huawei equipment to 35 per cent of the
full fibre and 5G access (i.e. non-core) networks by 31 July
2023, six months later than previously announced due to the
difficulties providers have faced during the pandemic.
- Remove Huawei high data rate intra-core and inter-operator
transmission equipment - hardware which sends data across a
network without processing it - from all networks by 31 December
2025.
Digital Secretary said:
The government is committed to ensuring the security and
resilience of our phone and internet networks. Last year we
brought in new laws to protect UK infrastructure from high-risk
vendors and issue tough sanctions on providers which fall short
of our high security standards. This consultation marks the next
step in removing the risks posed by Huawei.
In July 2020 the government announced it would hold a technical
consultation with full fibre operators regarding their use of
Huawei equipment.
Following the conclusion of that technical consultation, the
government worked with the National Cyber Security Centre to
analyse responses. As a result, the proposed direction includes a
ban on the installation of sanctions-affected equipment in full
fibre networks, effective from the issuing of the designated
vendor direction for Huawei.
The government considers that preventing any future installation
of this equipment addresses the national security risk posed by
Huawei in full fibre networks, but it will consider views from
consultees before reaching a final decision.
This is not expected to impact the roll out of faster broadband.
The telecoms industry remains committed to the government’s
target of bringing gigabit broadband to at least 85 per cent of
the UK by 2025.
The NCSC has been consulted throughout the drafting of the
consultation documents and the government has given due
consideration to the NCSC’s advice.
ENDSNotes to editors
- The targeted consultations are being conducted in accordance
with sections 105Z3 and 105Z9 of the Communications Act 2003, as
amended by the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, for the
Secretary of State to consult public communications providers
which would be subject to a proposed designated vendor direction,
relating to the use of Huawei equipment and services in the UK’s
public telecoms networks, and Huawei as the proposed designated
vendor.
- Responses to these consultations will be taken into account
in decisions by the Secretary of State regarding any designated
vendor direction or designation notice relating to Huawei. The
government must work with providers and vendors to ensure that
public networks are as secure as they can possibly be.
