US seeks to push for own 5G architecture

NEWDELHI: The US government is working with domestic technology giants Microsoft Corp., Dell Inc. and AT&T Inc. to develop its own 5G architecture, according to a report on Tuesday that comes in the middle of a powerful American campaign to dissuade other countries from using China’s Huawei in their next general telecommunication networks.

The US administration has called on allies such as the UK to keep Huawei out, citing what it says is a potential security risk since the company could give China access to telecommunications.

The new plan involves building advanced software for 5G networks, the Wall Street Journal reported, for a common engineering standard to allow software developers to run code atop machines from nearly any hardware manufacturer.

The companies working on the initiative are Microsoft, Dell and AT&T, the report quoted White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow as saying.

“The big-picture concept is to have all of the US 5G architecture and infrastructure done by American firms, principally,” Kudlow said. “That also could include Nokia and Ericsson because they have big US presences.”

The development comes days after US secretary of state Mike Pompeo during a visit to London called on the UK government to “relook” at its decision to allow Huawei to participate in early discussions and planning for the 5G rollout. Pompeo said the US will insist on American information passing “through trusted information”.

India has allowed Huawei to take part in the trials that are scheduled to be held sometime this year.