As the UK’s deadline to expel Huawei 5G equipment for network operators draws near, BT Group gets into a tight spot. A few months ago, the UK set December 31, 2023, as the last day for network operators within the region to have Huawei 5G equipment in use. After passing this deadline, most operators within the region expressed concern over the decision as it was to cost them a lot.
For this reason, there has been a bit of a delay in removing Huawei 5G equipment from network usage. One operator that has been in a tight spot regarding expelling Huawei 5G tools from their usage is BT Group. Over the past few months, the network provider has been fighting to meet the UK’s set deadline.
But as the UK’s set deadline approaches, the firm now rushes to remove all Huawei 5G (replacing them with Ericsson 5G equipment) tools from the network arsenal. This task isn’t an easy one for network operators who have relied on Huawei equipment for the past ten years. It’s not only physically straining, but also financially daunting to embark on this task and complete it in a few months.
If the BT Group and other network providers fail to take out Huawei 5G equipment from their usage, they are set to pay a fine. This will be either 100,000 Euros per day after the deadline passes or 10% of their total revenue since the deadline date went official. So it’s now a matter of urgency for these network providers to get rid of all Huawei 5G equipment that they might be using to run their business on various levels.
The UK points to security fears as a reason behind its request to get rid of all Huawei 5G equipment in use within its region. This is a move that the US took a few years ago, following an aggressive ban and chains of restrictions on Huawei’s business. In the coming weeks, more information on BT Group’s progress with this requirement will reach the public.
Leave a Reply