UK telecom operators will have until the end of 2023 to remove all Huawei equipment from their network ‘cores’, where some of the most sensitive data is processed, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced.
The original deadline for the removal was set to January 2023.
The extension was granted in order to avoid possible “network outages and disruption for customers, due to delays caused by the pandemic and global supply chain issues” for a small number of operators, the DCMS said, adding that companies should strive to meet the original targets wherever possible.
The news follows calls from the telecommunications industry, which stated that the supply chain delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic would make it difficult for operators to replace the equipment in time. BT CEO Philip Jansen had even warned the ban may result in network outages for customers if implemented too hastily.
As a result, DCMS also extended a requirement...