The deadline for UK telecoms companies to remove Huawei equipment from their core networks has now passed, and reports are already claiming BT has missed its target.
The UK ban on Huawei was revealed in 2020, when Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden referred to US sanctions against the Shenzhen company, with companies told to take action later in 2022.
The deadline of December 31, 2023 had already been extended by almost a year, from January 28, 2023, in response to complaints from companies like BT, which had raised concerns about feasibility and deadlines.
BT still uses some Huawei equipment
A BT spokesperson said TechRadar Pro in an email: “All 4G and 5G data sessions and voice calls are now served by non-Huawei core equipment, meaning that over 99% of all core traffic is now served by non-Huawei kits.”
They added that the process, which affects its live mobile network, involves the migration of 30 million active customers across multiple platforms, a testament to the scale of the work involved.
BT also confirmed that the only voice and data services yet to be migrated use 2G and 3G networks, representing less than 1% of total traffic. Ofcom has revealed that the UK’s major mobile network providers plan to shut down their 3G networks between 2024 and 2025.
Missing the deadline raises questions about whether BT could face fines, but the depreciation of older networks could suggest some leeway could be reduced for BT given that its 4G and 5G networks are now exempt from the Huawei kit.
BT added that it would continue to share information with Ofcom as part of the watchdog’s legal duty to report to the government in March, and that it remained on track to completely remove Huawei access parts of its mobile network by 2027.
Ofcom shared a statement with TechRadar Pro: “The government is responsible for setting and enforcing rules requiring certain telecommunications companies to remove Huawei equipment from their networks. Ofcom’s role is to gather information on the companies’ progress and inform the government.”
Ofcom’s next report to the Secretary of State will be on 31 January 2024 and 31 March 2024. Two further reports will be submitted in 2026 and 2028.
Four years ago, The register added that BT was preparing to spend £500m to remove Huawei equipment. At the time, O2 was rolling out 5G without Huawei in many major UK cities.