As of now, Huawei phones are not banned in the UK, but there are important restrictions on Huawei’s 5G network equipment and future government procurement.
Here’s the situation:
- Huawei Phones:
- Huawei smartphones are still available for purchase in the UK. You can buy Huawei devices from retailers, and they can work with UK mobile networks as long as they support the correct bands and frequencies.
- However, like other countries, Huawei phones in the UK do not come with Google services due to the U.S. trade ban, meaning you won’t have access to the Google Play Store or other Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps.
- Restrictions on 5G Network Equipment:
- The UK government has implemented restrictions on Huawei’s involvement in 5G networks. In 2020, the UK announced that it would not allow Huawei to provide equipment for 5G networks due to national security concerns.
- The government banned Huawei from supplying new 5G equipment and set a deadline for removing Huawei’s existing equipment from UK networks by 2027.
Why the Restrictions on 5G?
The UK government, following advice from intelligence agencies, decided that allowing Huawei to provide 5G infrastructure could pose a security risk due to the company’s close ties to the Chinese government. While this doesn’t directly impact consumers buying Huawei smartphones, it affects the use of Huawei technology in the country’s 5G network development.
Conclusion:
Huawei smartphones are not banned in the UK. You can still buy and use Huawei phones there, but they won’t come with Google services. The UK government has placed restrictions on Huawei’s role in the country’s 5G infrastructure, but this does not affect the sale of Huawei consumer devices like smartphones.