UK said to tell telecoms operators to stockpile Huawei gear in face of US sanctions

British officials said they are reviewing the specific guidance on how Huawei equipment should be deployed to best secure the country’s telecoms networks

London designated Huawei a ‘high-risk vendor’ in January, capping its involvement in 5G mobile network roll-outs at a 35 per cent market share

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British security officials are studying the impact of recent US measures intended to restrict Huawei Technologies’ ability to source the advanced semiconductors it needed to produce 5G network equipment and smartphones. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:06am, 20 Jun 2020Updated: 10:54pm, 20 Jun 2020

British security officials have told the country’s telecommunications network operators to ensure they have adequate stockpiles of Huawei Technologies equipment amid concerns that new US sanctions will disrupt the Chinese firm’s ability to maintain critical supplies, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

Britain granted Huawei a limited role in the roll-out of its 5G mobile networks in January, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson has since come under renewed pressure from Washington and some lawmakers in his own party who said the company’s equipment is a security risk. Huawei has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Officials at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) are now studying the impact of US measures announced in May, which are intended to restrict Huawei’s ability to source the advanced semiconductors needed to produce its 5G network equipment and flagship smartphones.

Senior NCSC officials last week wrote to telecoms operators including Britain’s BT Group and Vodafone, telling them to maintain adequate supplies of spare parts from all manufacturers, according to three people familiar with the matter.

That letter also emphasised the increased risk to Huawei’s equipment and its future ability to provide updates for those products in the face of US pressure.

“Ensuring that products and components are kept up-to-date is essential to maintaining the security of networks,” the letter said. “Escalating US action against Huawei may affect its ability to provide updates for products containing US technology.”