UK telecom company BT is barring Huawei's 5G equipment and will strip out Huawei 3G and 4G equipment from the core of its network.
As 5G technology is planned to be rolled out across the UK, BT has confirmed that it will
strip out existing Huawei 3G and 4G equipment from the core of its network as well as barring the
use of Huawei's 5G equipment.
BT has had a history of using Huawei equipment in the core of its
fixed-line network, having signed a contract with Huawei in 2005.
However, BT will still continue to use Huawei's phone
mast antennas and other products that are not at the "core" of its services.
New Zealand and Australia blocked
the use of Huawei's 5G technology due to national security concerns.
The Japanese government also plans to ban the
purchase of Huawei equipment.
The barring of 5G services comes after Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief finance officer and deputy
chair was arrested on undisclosed charges in Canada.
Critics fear that Huawei's technology could be used for espionage purposes
and direct denial of service attacks by the Chinese government.
Huawei denies all allegations of links to the Chinese government.