Huawei has announced that it is restructuring its Enterprise Division in the UK.
It means that 20 of its 50 staff are now in consultation and that the operation, which handles its networking, server and storage products will stop taking orders on certain items from the end of the year.
“Our enterprise business is to focus its operations in the UK in order to deliver fewer products in a better way,” said a spokesperson.
“Unfortunately this means a number of roles are no longer required, however we hope to reposition colleagues who are affected elsewhere within the business.
“We will continue to provide full service and maintenance to existing customers for the life-cycle of our products.”
Huawei confirmed that this woulndn’t impact on its plans at The Landing. Last year, the company said that it intended to create 100 jobs at MediaCityUK by 2022.
The move comes following the Government’s decision to ban Huawei equipment from the 5G network. This was as a result of pressure from the United States, which believe the Chinese company is a security threat.
Earlier this month, research commissioned by Huawei found that the consequences of banning Huawei’s 5G equipment and forcing operators to remove existing kit from networks by 2027 would cost the economy £18.2bn. This is because it could push the UK’s 5G roll-out back by 3 years.
“This new research shows how the US administration has directly impacted Britain’s economy, ending the UK’s leadership in 5G, holding the country back from realising its full potential for years to come,” stated Victor Zhang, Vice President of Huawei.
“Our priority at Huawei remains to support our customers in delivering and helping to build a better connected UK. This independent research, shows why we would urge the government to reconsider its decision.”
In August 2019, as Huawei showcased its 5G services in Manchester, the group’s CEO, Jerry Wang, spoke of its potential impact on the city:
“5G has the power to transform Manchester into a totally connected city; for the burgeoning start-up community in the city, this presents even more of an opportunity. 5G is fundamental in building a solid foundation across new and innovative technologies and brings endless potential opportunities for businesses and communities to exploit alike. 5G is most certainly on in Manchester.”
Huawei says it will still build its R&D operation outside Cambridge.
