U.K. Carriers’ High-Cost Estimates on Huawei Ban Raise Doubts
- Analysts, carriers and Huawei rivals disagree on estimates
- Government to decide Huawei’s role in U.K. networks on Tuesday
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
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Phone companies’ stark estimates for how much it would cost to replace Huawei Technologies Co. are being met with skepticism by analysts ahead of the U.K.’s decision on whether to slash its reliance on the Chinese company from the country’s telecommunications networks.
Two of Huawei’s biggest British customers set out their estimates in a hearing with lawmakers last week. Andrea Dona, Vodafone Group Plc’s U.K. head of networks, said it would cost “single-figure billions” of pounds to swap out the Shenzhen-based supplier. BT Group Plc’s Chief Technology and Information Officer Howard Watson said it would cost as much as 600 million pounds ($756 million), if the company was given at least five years to make the change.