Telecoms providers must stop installing Huawei equipment in the UK’s 5G mobile network from September, the government has said.

The announcement comes ahead of a new law being unveiled on Tuesday, which bans the Chinese firm from the network.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said he was pushing for the “complete removal of high-risk vendors” from 5G networks.

The new deadline falls earlier than expected, although maintaining old equipment will still be allowed.

Huawei told the BBC it would not be commenting on the announcement.

Attempts to rid Huawei from the network have been ongoing for more than a year.

But the new Telecommunications Security Bill is the first step in enshrining such bans in law, and offers details of exactly how it will work – if it is passed by Parliament.

MPs will debate the bill at second reading in the Commons on Tuesday.

It will give government national security powers, allowing them to give instructions to big telecoms companies, such as BT, about how they use so-called “high-risk” vendors like Huawei, if at all.

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