Huawei warns UK not to make a U-turn on 5G plans
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HUAWEI has warned that changes to its involvement in the UK 5G rollout would do the country a "disservice".
The Chinese telecoms giant received limited approval earlier in the year to help build Britain's 5G network.
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"Disrupting our involvement in the 5G rollout would do Britain a disservice."
He goes on to explain that Huawei wants to help the people of Britain stay connected.
The open letter says: "At Huawei we are focused on keeping Britain connected – the biggest contribution we can make to the UK’s national effort against coronavirus.
"Since Covid-19 first hit the UK, data usage has soared by 50% or more.
"Homes have become offices, friends and families now stay connected through video, and students access lessons on-line.
"This has placed significant pressure on telecoms systems. That’s why reliable mobile and broadband networks are crucial.
"During this pandemic our engineers – designated “essential” workers – are striving around the clock to keep Britain connected.
"We’re working with the likes of Vodafone, BT, EE and Three to keep businesses online and loved ones in touch.
"To support the effort, we’ve set up three new warehouses and are redistributing key spare parts around the country to ensure continuity of supply."
It also reveals that Huawei thinks it can do more to help Britain and hopes to be able to do that.
However, the UK government has already banned Huawei from the most sensitive parts of the country's network.
Critics continue to argue that the Chinese company is a security risk, even with limited involvement.
Earlier in April, 15 Conservative MPs wrote their own open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and asks him to rethink relations with China.
The group wrote: "Over time, we have allowed ourselves to grow dependent on China and have failed to take a strategic view of Britain's long-term economic, technical and security needs."
The government and 5G companies are also having to deal with a backlash against the network due to false rumours that 5G is connected to the coronavirus outbreak.
What is 5G?
Here's what you need to know...
- The term 5G stands for 5th-generation, and is simply the next "version" of mobile phone networks.
- The world's network operators have settled on a new method of delivering mobile internet to your phone, making it possible to offer far higher download speeds.
- Early figures suggest you'll be able to download 4K movies in a matter of seconds, and buffering video will be a thing of the past.
- But 5G also promises low "latency" – the physical delay in transmitting data – which is a major boon for gamers, who desperately need their online actions to be sent and received as quickly as possible.
- EE is first across the line in the UK, with 5G live in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham or Manchester.
- The good news is that EE plans to roll out 5G in a further 10 cities by the end of 2019: Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry and Bristol.
- Vodafone has also switched on 5G in seven cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, and London.
In other news, a fake ‘5G caused coronavirus’ conspiracy theory claims proof is on Britain’s £20 note.
Celebrities, influencers and politicians have become dangerous tools in the spread of fake coronavirus news online.
And, we shared the truth about 5G frequency, radiation and microwaves.
What are your thoughts on 5G? Let us know in the comments...
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