5G Network to be Launched by O2 in UK in October

Arpatech Jul 26, 2019

Leading telecommunications services provider O2 is reportedly planning to launch 5G mobile network in October.

The company seeks to launch the service in other major cities of the UK, later expanding to a total of 50 towns and cities by 2020.

O2 will be the last and only of the UK’s network coverage providers to unveil 5G, who will do so without using equipment from the beleaguered Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei.

Additionally, O2 underwent a trial of Huawei’s 5G radio access network kit at cell towers in the United Kingdom before choosing to go for competitive products from two retailers it had already used to deliver 4G.

O2’s chief executive Mark Evans said that “we respect all three operators, they were thorough in their submissions.” “But we were convinced that the best choices for us at this time are our current partners, which are Ericsson and Nokia,” he added.

The announcement comes the same time that the UK officially deferred a decision on whether to bar or let Huawei be used within any of the UK’s 5G networks.

The US has been exerting pressure on the government to eliminate the Chinese firm demanding that it represents a risk to national security, but Huawei denies this.