UK expected to order removal of Huawei 5G equipment by 2025: Telegraph

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s government is expected to set a deadline of 2025 for removing equipment made by China’s Huawei from the country’s 5G telecoms networks, the Telegraph newspaper said on Friday.

Britain in January capped Huawei’s role in its 5G networks at 35% and barred it from the most sensitive parts of the system. The government has said recently that U.S. sanctions on chip technology could damage Huawei’s ability to supply crucial networking equipment.

Operators Vodafone and BT said on Thursday that Britain’s rebound from COVID-19 could be harmed if the government demands a speedy removal of Huawei equipment.

Conservative lawmakers have pressed Prime Minister Boris Johnson to speed up the process to 2023, the Telegraph said.

(Reporting by Sabahatjahan Contractor in Bengaluru; Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Chris Reese)