Call for Evidence

The Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry to understand how telecommunications capacity can be built in the UK. Specifically, the Committee would like to hear evidence on:

• what led to the current lack of market competition among telecommunications equipment suppliers and the absence of a domestic supplier in the UK;
• what are the major barriers to entry into the UK telecommunications market are and how these could be overcome;
• the feasibility of the Government supporting the establishment and growth of a UK-based vendor of 5G equipment;
• how the UK can work with international partners (such as the ‘Five Eyes’ countries) to build a domestic capacity;
• measures the UK Government could take to encourage additional, established vendors to enter the UK market; and
• in what timeframe the Government should look to build domestic capacity and remove all “high risk” vendors.

The Committee would welcome written evidence submissions on any of these points. Submissions should be sent to the Committee by Sunday 31st May 2020.