The UK must secure 5G tech development by stepping up to the challenge of investing in infrastructure. With the sidelining of Chinese technology giant Huawei, there is now potentially a giant gap Britain must scramble to fill.
To make sure we all have the 5G connectivity we deserve, the UK government needs to take steps that ensure a diverse and effective mobile network right now.
You’ll have heard the Chinese technology company Huawei was banned from the British 5G network. That leaves serous questions behind the ability for the UK to develop an effective 5G network. It can’t be the case that any one operator has a lot of control, so its mobile network must be diversified.
In fact, we’ve know since 2012 that there are more mobiles than people worldwide, so this is a big issue.
December 2020 saw the British government state publicly how they wanted UK telecommunications operators to uninstall essential technology from vendors it perceives to be high-risk. The only way forward now is to find other players in the industry who can take up the spare capacity.
The British government’s 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy sets out the recommendations for targeted actions that will deliver the government’s vision for the network. They take a look at, among other things, creating the best possible environment for growing a diverse 5G network and investment opportunities to build capability for future generations.
Great news for 5G in the UK was EE’s announcement earlier this month that the technology had been rolled out in our very own Brighton.