Samsung Says It Could Build UK’s New 5G Network

By Staff, Agencies

South Korea's Samsung could replace the embattled Chinese tech giant Huawei as 5G vendor for the United Kingdom, the South Korean company's vice president has said.

The executive told reporters on Wednesday that Samsung could supply a new standalone 5G network to the UK, which is considering whether to ban the use of Huawei's equipment.

In January, Boris Johnson's government chose to allow Huawei in the build-up of national wireless networks, with a 35-percent cap on its involvement in non-sensitive components like phone masts and a ban on building "core" infrastructure.

However, according to reports in the UK, there has been a dramatic shift in the government's stance in recent months, and Johnson has been offered "sound technical reasons" to back out and ban Huawei outright.