<div dir="ltr"><h1 class="gmail-story-body__h1" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:16pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Huawei&#39;s kit removed from emergency services 4G network</h1><p class="gmail-story-body__introduction" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">BBC News reports that BT has confirmed that equipment made by <strong style="box-sizing:border-box">Huawei </strong>is being removed from the heart of a communication system being developed for the UK&#39;s police forces and other emergency services.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">It follows a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46453425" target="_blank" class="gmail-story-body__link" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">statement from BT earlier this month that it was swapping out the Chinese firm&#39;s kit</a> from the &quot;core&quot; of its 3G and 4G mobile networks.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">The Sunday Telegraph <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/12/23/huawei-4g-core-technology-removed-delayed-2bn-emergency-services/" target="_blank" class="gmail-story-body__link-external" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">was first to report the latest development</a>.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">It said the move could extend work on the late-running £2.3bn project.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">BT is covering the cost of the switch. It does not believe the changeover will lead to a further delay.</p><strong style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">Priority access</strong><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px"></span><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">The Emergency Services Network (ESN) was originally due to be completed by the end of 2019.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">At that point it was meant to replace an existing Motorola-owned radio system called Airwave, which is used by the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">The ESN is intended <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-emergency-services-mobile-communications-programme/emergency-services-network" target="_blank" class="gmail-story-body__link-external" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">to give its users &quot;secure&quot; priority access to EE&#39;s 4G network</a>, which is being extended via additional radio frequencies in rural areas and new mast sites. It should be cheaper to run than Airwave while also providing superior voice and data capabilities.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">But the effort is overrunning, and in September the <a href="https://newsroom.motorolasolutions.com/news/motorola-solutions-reaches-agreement-with-uk-home-office-to-implement-esn-phased-approach-and-extend-airwave-network.htm" target="_blank" class="gmail-story-body__link-external" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">Home Office announced that it would pay for use of Airwave until the end of 2022</a> with scope for a further extension if required.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">EE won the contract to roll out the ESN in 2015, a year before the network provider was acquired by BT.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">Since then, it has become subject to a BT policy that Huawei&#39;s kit should not be used at the core of its mobile networks to push customers&#39; data about.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">Read the full BBC News item<br style="box-sizing:border-box"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46672550" target="_blank" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">Huawei&#39;s kit removed from emergency services 4G network - BBC News - bbc.co.uk</a></p></div>