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UK telecommunications infrastructure and the UK’s domestic capability

Inquiry

The next generation of mobile telecommunications (known as ‘5G’) promises faster download speeds, more reliable connections and technical abilities that enable new systems such as autonomous vehicles or connected health devices.

In January 2020, the Government announced that it would allow Huawei and other “high risk vendors” to supply “non-sensitive” elements of the UK’s 5G telecommunications networks, despite security concerns.

The issue highlighted the UK’s lack of domestic capability to supply these networks. In rejecting US calls for a complete ban on Huawei equipment, the Prime Minister acknowledged that a lack of alternatives to high-risk vendors influenced the decision.

In a statement to the House of Commons in February, the Foreign Secretary stated that there were only three major players (previously identified by a previous Government as Nokia, Huawei, and Ericsson) who could supply key parts of the UK telecoms networks, and acknowledged this was a “market failure” which had implications for the “security and resilience” of UK networks.

Responding to concerns raised by Members of Parliament last month, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport told the House of Commons that the Government is not yet in a position “to set out a specific date or timetable for reaching no high-risk vendors” but that the Government would work with the “Five Eyes (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US and UK) and other partners” to develop new supply chain capacity in our national infrastructure during the course of the Parliament.

In this context, the Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry to understand how telecommunications capacity can be built in the UK.

Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry.

Work news

Government responds to Committee's report on 5G market diversification and wider lessons for critical and emerging technologies

Science and Technology Committee publishes Government response to report on 5G market diversification and wider lessons for critical and emerging technologies

Report warns Government must learn from 5G security risks and publish new strategy on emerging technologies

Committee publishes report on the dependency of the UK's 5G rollout on just two vendors

4 February 2021

Committee to question Ofcom and the National Cyber Security Centre

Committee to hold its fifth evidence session as part of its UK telecommunications infrastructure and the UK’s domestic capability inquiry

22 October 2020

MPs examine UK telecommunications infrastructure and the UK’s domestic capability

The Science and Technology Committee takes evidence on Wednesday 30 September 2020

25 September 2020

Committee to question Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Session will explore short, medium and long-term prospects for diversifying UK's telecommunications market

Supply chain for 5G examined with network providers

Science and Technology Committee  explores the UK telecommunications infrastructure and the UK's domestic capability

Committee to take evidence on 5G and OpenRAN technology

Committee to take evidence on 5G and OpenRAN technology

Contact us

We can’t usually help you with an individual problem or a specific complaint.

Email: commonssitc@parliament.uk
Phone: 020 7219 5023 (general enquiries) |020 7219 0731 (media enquiries)
Address: Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA