Britain will remove Huawei technology from its 5G network after an intelligence report warned about huge security risks clouding the telecoms company.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reported on Sunday, July 5, that Huawei's products are not secure following the new sanctions issued by the US against the firm. This will make Huawei microchips unsafe, according to Daily Mail.
Also, intelligence chiefs warned that they can only secure the 5G network from Chinese espionage for seven years.
UK to remove Huawei from its 5G network
The NCSC is part of GCHQ, the government's intelligence and security organization, which has expressed concerns that they may not be able to minimize the security risks over Huawei equipment after seven years.
Ministers are expected to be asked to approve the ban on buying any new Huawei kit by the end of 2020.
After receiving the report, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden also plans to recommend that Huawei technology be banned from all of Britain's telecom networks by the end of 2029.
More than 60 Tory MPs have signaled they will vote against including Huawei in the telecoms security bill, which the government has proposed.
The NCSC review followed after US sanctions forbade using any US patented technology in Huawei's microchips, which will make them unsafe, according to intelligence officials who considered Asian alternatives less trustworthy.
"Huawei is in a position without any easy fixes or loopholes," a security source told The Sunday Times adding that the ban hugely changed the design.
'The impacts are so severe that, given the need to give clarity to industry, there will be a decision taken and Parliament will be notified this month,' the Sunday Times' source added.
The UK takes a U-turn decision
"There are now sound technical reasons for the UK to change January's decision, which would have allowed Huawei to have an up to 35 per cent stake in the UK's 5G market, and exclude the company instead," former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers said as reported in Financial Times.
Sawers also said these sanctions would mean that "UK intelligence services can no longer provide assurances" on security over the Chinese equipment.
In January, the UK allowed Huawei to join in the country's 5G network arguing supply diversity. While the company's approval is under strict conditions, U.S. President Donald Trump opposed Britain's decision, according to Bloomberg.
The Trump administration seeks for the UK's outright ban on Huawei products with concerns of Chinese spy infiltration. There is also a growing hostility within the Conservative Party that threatens to block any related legislation.
Meanwhile, Huawei released a statement on Sunday, July 5 expressing its desire to discuss the matter with the government while spokesman Paul Harrison said that President Trump has swayed British government's decisions.
"We are working closely with our customers to find ways of managing the proposed U.S. restrictions so the U.K. can maintain its current lead in 5G," they said. "We believe it is too early to determine the impact of the proposed restrictions, which are not about security, but about the market position."
Meanwhile, Huawei Vice-President Victor Zhang said that "it is too determine the impact of the proposed restrictions." "All our products and solutions use technology and components over which the UK government has strict oversight."
He also added that the company is working closely with its customers to "find ways of managing the proposed U.S. restrictions" that would allow the U.K. to remain in the lead in 5G market.
