Huawei Statement on BT and EE

Huawei has been working with BT for almost 15 years. Since the beginning of this partnership, BT has operated on a principle of different vendors for different network layers. This agreement remains in place today. Since it acquired EE in 2016, the BT Group has been actively bringing EE’s legacy network architecture in line with this long-standing agreement. This is a normal and expected activity, which we understand and fully support.

Huawei began working with EE in 2012. As part of this collaboration, we provided EE with a series of innovative and competitive 3G and 4G network solutions, including core network equipment. Huawei has a robust cyber security assurance system and a proven track record. Our products and solutions serve customers in more than 170 countries and regions, including major carriers, Fortune 500 companies, and hundreds of millions of individual consumers. We have earned the trust of our partners across the global value chain.

As BT noted, “Huawei remains an important equipment provider and a valued innovation partner.” Working together, we have already completed a number of successful 5G trials across different sites in London, and we will continue to work with BT in the 5G era.
Huawei has been operating in the UK for 17 years. Thanks to the open and equitable investment environment in the UK, we work with all major carriers in the country and continue to make significant contributions to the UK’s economic and digital development. We have created 7,500 new job opportunities in the UK, and in 2017 we purchased goods and services worth US$828 million from UK companies. Moving forward, we hope the UK will continue to provide Huawei with an equitable business environment so that we can continue to provide quality digital services for UK businesses and consumers.

Cyber security should not be politicised, and equipment vendors should not be treated differently based on country of origin. Today, the ICT supply chain is highly globalised. Limiting one vendor does nothing to help the industry more effectively identify and address cyber security threats.