UK security bill sets out penalties if telcos use Huawei equipment

The UK has set out the security legislation that will enforce the ban on Huawei’s telecoms equipment, and it features some hefty penalties.

The Telecommunications Security Bill bans telcos from purchasing Huawei’s equipment from 2021. Huawei’s existing gear must be removed entirely from British networks by 2027.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

“We are investing billions to roll out 5G and gigabit broadband across the country, but the benefits can...

24 November 2020 | 5G

European Commission refers Virgin Media–O2 merger to the CMA

The European Commission has referred a proposed merger between Virgin Media and O2 to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Virgin Media and O2 confirmed their intention to merge back in May. Naturally, the £31 billion deal is being scrutinised by regulators.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-PZkudXsWo

The CMA formally requested the case be transferred on October 8th, shortly after the European Commission launched its investigation. Today, the European...

19 November 2020 | Industry

Ericsson, Qualcomm: 5G will deliver £14.8B growth across three industries

A report commissioned by Ericsson and Qualcomm suggests 5G will deliver almost £15 billion in economic growth across three key industries.

Over three-quarters of UK economic growth is expected to come from the manufacturing, agriculture, and construction industries. Applied to these industries, the report forecasts 5G will create an additional £14.8 billion in economic growth.

John Griffin, Head of Ericsson UK and Ireland, says:

”This new research shows...

17 November 2020 | 5G

Huawei appears to get a slight reprieve from US trade ban

Huawei’s business appears to be getting a slight reprieve from a US trade ban which has pressured the firm over the past year.

Huawei was added to the US Chamber of Commerce’s so-called Entity List earlier this year; meaning American companies are banned from doing business with Huawei without explicit permission. The decision was reinforced in July when the FCC officially designated Huawei a national security threat.

Although Huawei has increased the production of...

16 November 2020 | China

Vodafone: ‘Clear majority’ want to see 5G used to transform healthcare

Vodafone’s latest report highlights the public appetite for using technologies such as 5G and the IoT to transform healthcare.

The aforementioned emerging technologies have vast potential for healthcare, especially when combined.

5G-equipped ambulances, for example, could communicate with smart traffic lights to ensure they can pass safely and unhindered. Four in five respondents to Vodafone’s report say they want to see 5G ambulances.

The speed,...

11 November 2020 | 5G

Oxford Economics: Huawei is responsible for over 220,000 jobs in Europe

A report from Oxford Economics suggests that Huawei is responsible for over 220,000 jobs across Europe.

The report is released as Huawei faces bans across many Western countries over security concerns led by the US.

Huawei contributed €16.4 billion to Europe's GDP and supported 224,300 jobs in 2019, according to the report.

The Chinese telecoms giant holds the largest global marketshare (~35.3%) of any vendor. The second-largest, Nokia, holds less than half...

9 November 2020 | China

Vodafone will help break 5G vendor stranglehold with OpenRAN pledge

Vodafone has pledged to use 5G equipment from smaller OpenRAN vendors at one-fifth of its UK sites from 2027.

OpenRAN is an initiative to define and build RAN solutions that are interoperable, easy for operators to integrate, and, most importantly, are vendor-neutral. The end result should be a more competitive market with many new vendors emerging with capable solutions to disrupt the current stranglehold held by the major players.

Vodafone UK is a long-term supporter...

2 November 2020 | 5G

Huawei report suggests the UK’s 5G delay risks £108B economic boost

A report for Huawei conducted by Assembly Research highlights the potential costs of the UK delaying its 5G rollout.

The UK’s decision in July to ban Huawei’s equipment has been widely acknowledged – including by the government – as setting back the country’s 5G rollout while simultaneously making it more expensive.

Matthew Howett, Principal Analyst and Founder of Assembly, said:

“The Government’s own expectation of its restrictions on Huawei is...

28 October 2020 | 5G

Ericsson joins Nokia in helping BT replace Huawei’s 5G gear

Ericsson has joined Nokia in helping BT to replace Huawei’s 5G equipment in London and other major cities.

In September, BT announced a deal with Nokia that will see the Finnish vendor become its biggest equipment supplier.

BT announced today that it has also selected Ericsson to be a key partner for its 5G deployments in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, and other major cities.

“With deals now in place with both Ericsson and Nokia, two well-known and...

28 October 2020 | 5G

Telia will use Ericsson for 5G in Sweden but Nokia in Finland

Telia will use 5G equipment from compatriot Ericsson in its home country but will turn to Nokia for its Finnish operations.

Starting with Telia in Sweden, the company has signed a five-year agreement with Ericsson which it says “brings together two of the region’s wireless pioneers” to provide a great 5G experience for the operator’s seven million customers in Sweden and Estonia.

“With today’s agreement, we have the foundation in place to develop the most...

21 October 2020 | 5G