BT and Vodafone need 5 years to remove Huawei kit to avoid blackouts

BT and Vodafone have warned of widespread mobile phone blackouts unless they are given at least five years to strip out Huawei kit from their networks

“When considering further restrictions we need to look at a sensible and practically feasible time-scale over several years,” said Vodafone UK head of networks Andrea Dona.

"I am concerned that an ultra aggressive imposition of a change in policy could hamper our economic recover in the UK."

Vodafone uses a mix of Ericsson and Huawei technology for the antennas and radio base stations at its cell towers. Around a third of Vodafone’s 2G, 3G, and 4G networks are made up of Huawei kit.

Mr Dona said that it would cost "single figure billions" of pounds to remove the equipment. BT has put the cost of complying with an existing requirement to lower Huawei usage at £500 million ($633 million).

BT is  already trialing switching some network sites from Huawei to other vendors. However, the company's chief technology officer Howard Watson said it would be “logistically impossible” to get to zero Huawei kit in a three-year period.

“That would literally mean blackouts for customers on 4G and 2G networks as well as 5G throughout the country,” he told the committee.

He added that the blackouts could last “a number of days” while engineers change out the technology.

The Government had ruled on Huawei’s involvement in British networks in January, banning it from the “core” elements of mobile networks and placing a cap on its market share.

The US has since introduced fresh sanctions on the Chinese telecoms firm that forbids it from using American technology and software to “design and manufacture” its products.

GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Council delivered a report to the Government over the weekend on Huawei. It was reported that, in light of the new sanctions, the NCSC said it was unable to assure the security of Huawei’s products.

The Chinese tech giant has repeatedly and vehemently denied allegations from the US that it poses any form of security risk.

During an earlier hearing at the same committee, Huawei UK chief representative Victor Zhang again refuted claims from the US and insisted the company was “independent” from interference by the Chinese government.

Mr Zhang also said that the company’s loyalties always lied with its customers when asked what would happen if it was asked to act against them by China.

Huawei UK’s vice president Jeremy Thompson said that executives at the company were free to express their views when asked by committee chair Greg Clark.

He was then asked for his thoughts on the controversial national security laws that have been passed in Hong Kong.

“I’m a telecoms executive my role is to enable our customers who are the carriers to provide communications that are faster and cheaper. I don’t have a view,” he said.

“You’ve invited me here as a representative of Huawei, Huawei does not get involved in judging the rules of other countries.”

Mr Zhang said that he was “not in a position to comment on the political agenda”.