Mobile operators are right to demand clarity from government on Huawei but they probably won't get it

The government’s equivocation over Huawei is putting the future of the UK economy at risk, at least according to Britain’s mobile phone operators.

They’ve drafted a letter to cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill urging the government make a final decision on the Chinese company’s involvement in 5G mobile networks, warning that the UK’s position as a world leader in connectivity is being endangered by the current policy drift.

At issue is whether Huawei should be allowed to help build peripheral parts, such as the masts. Its kit won’t be allowed in the sensitive cores.

If it gets the go ahead, everything’s relatively easy. The operators call the company in and it builds on top of what's already there. If, however, Huawei gets banned (something other Euroepan governments are also contemplating) things get more sticky.

Existing Huawei tech will have to be ripped out and completely replaced by someone else’s. That will be both time consuming and expensive and the costs will inevitably be passed on to consumers and businesses.

While it’s happening, countries carrying on with Huawei, such as China, will get their networks up and running. Ditto those already without it, such as the US, where it isn’t involved in any national networks (there are subsidies available to help a few regional ones to cover the costs of replacing it). As such, they’ll get a lead.

This matters. Tech heads will tell you that 5G represents one of the biggest innovations since the birth of the internet. It has been described as the harbinger of another industrial revolution.

You can form your own view as to whether all this has played any role in the US pressing its allies to boot Huawei out on the grounds of so far unsubstantiated security concerns, or whether it’s purely down to Huawei’s position in the trade war the Trump administration is fighting against China.

Despite this, the National Security Council of ministers initially gave the ok for limited Huawei involvement in British networks, a decision that generated huge controversy after it was leaked. However, because it was made under Theresa May all bets are off.

Clearly the government needs to clarify its position because if mobile operators are going to have to go through the pain of tearing everything up they need to get started as soon as possible.

They’ve called for fact based policy making and if you were basing your decision purely on fact, as the council apparently did, Huawei would probably be in and we’d be pressing ahead.

Yes bugs and glitches have been found with its tech but, as one industry professional said to me this morning, you would likely find those in the tech of almost any provider you’d care to mention. Their issues simply attract less attention because they’re not Chinese.

Trouble is, the contenders to replace May have proven time and again that their relationship with facts it sketchy at best and that their country’s best interests will be cast aside in preference to appealing to the prejudices of the party’s ageing and bigoted membership which will get to choose our next Prime Minister for us.

Even if Huawei’s participation in UK 5G is doomed, it could take months for the formal death knell to be sounded, leaving the country and its mobile industry with the worst of all words. That’s something the current Tory government is rather good at serving up.