The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has set out an approach to diversify the country’s telecoms supply chain and reduce the risks to security in 5G networks.
It has published a diversification strategy that involves removing equipment from ‘high risk’ vendors and a new Telecommunications (Security) Bill.
This follows the decision in July to prevent operators from procuring new equipment from Chinese supplier Huawei from the end of this and to remove all of its existing equipment by the end of 2027.
Other features in the roadmap include not making use of any Huawei managed services after the end of March 2021, not installing new equipment after the end of September, and not making use of any equipment in the execution of core network functions after 28 January 2023. A 35% cap on Huawei equipment in 5G access and fibre to premise networks will come into force in January 2023.
RAN measures
DCMS highlighted a number of targeted measures to diversify the supply chain, including funding an Open RAN (radio access network) trial with Japanese telecoms vendor NEC, setting up a National Telecoms Lab as a secure research facility, and funding the SmartRAN Open Network Innovation Centre as a testing facility.
It will also aim to accelerate open-interface solutions and deployment through steps such as establishing a UK-wide research and development ecosystem, increasing the UK presence at standard setting bodies, and conducting a full assessment of how regulatory requirements could be implemented to deliver effective diversification outcomes.
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden (pictured) said: “Today I am setting out a clear path for the complete removal of high risk vendors from our 5G networks. This will be done through new and unprecedented powers to identify and ban telecoms equipment which poses a threat to our national security.
“We are also publishing a new strategy to make sure we are never again dependent on a handful of telecoms vendors for the smooth and secure running of our networks. Our plans will spark a wave of innovation in the design of our future mobile networks.”
Testing facility
The news has been accompanied by an announcement from the UK Space Agency that it is planning to create a testing facility for 5G and satellite technology at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire.
It will be built by IT and business consultancy CGI during next year, and provide a base for UK researchers and businesses to experiment with hybrids of 5G and satellite communications.
The new facility will develop software that allows satellite networks, including low-Earth orbit networks, to be integrated into terrestrial public and private communications networks. The Space Agency highlighted the potential to broaden connectivity of internet of things technology.
As part of the development CGI is working with BT, Avanti Communications and the University of Surrey on a project to see how it can connect rural communities to 5G in the most affordable way possible.
Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: “This new state-of-the-art facility backed by government funding will enable our brightest researchers and engineers to better understand how 5G can help connect us all, creating new business opportunities, while delivering green efficiencies across the UK.”
Image from GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0
