It is a big deal that the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is being totally excluded from the UK’s new fast 5G mobile network, and is redolent of a de facto cold war between the West and China. But Johnson has taken a more gradualist approach to the exclusion of Huawei than his Tory critics wanted and UK telecoms companies feared.
BT and Vodafone got more time than they expected to move away from Huawei as a 5G and broadband supplier. The Tory MPs who want no involvement of the Chinese company in important communications infrastructure will feel only partially vindicated; many of them will be disappointed and angry.
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Hardeep Singh
What’s the real reason Labour is reluctant to hold a grooming gangs inquiry?
The UK telecoms giants had hoped they would have till 2027 to remove all kit from 5G. That is exactly what they got, along with permission to continue buying from Huawei till December.
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