Will the Government be banning Huawei kit in line with the UK?

Summary

A request was made to the Communications Commission regarding the installation of Huawei 5G equipment and potential bans aligned with UK policy. The Commission responded that it does not hold the requested information as it is an economic regulator, not a technical standards body, and policy is set by the Council of Ministers.

Key Facts

• The Communications Commission is the National Regulatory Authority for telecommunications and broadcasting on the Isle of Man.
• The Commission acts as an economic regulator and does not mandate technology or equipment.
• Telecommunications policy is set by the Council of Ministers, not the Commission.
• The Commission does not hold information regarding specific Huawei kit installations or future ban plans.
• The request was closed on 7 August 2020 with an outcome of 'Information not held'.

Data Disclosed

• 1369037
• 2020-07-15
• 2020-08-07
• Telecommunications Act 1984
• Freedom of Information Act 2015

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held

Original Request

Has any 5G compatible Huawei kit been installed on the Island to date and if so, where? Are there any plans to ban future Huawei installations for security and resilience reasons, in line with the UK, should the Government approve the use of 5G in future, and if not, why not?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Ivan Kiely Ground Floor, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas Isle Of Man, IM1 2SF Tel: +44(0)1624 677022 Fax: +44(0)1624 626499

Our ref: 1369037 7 August 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 15 July 2020 and which states:

"Has any 5G compatible Huawei kit been installed on the Island to date and if so, where? Are there any plans to ban future Huawei installations for security and resilience reasons, in line with the UK, should the Government approve the use of 5G in future, and if not, why not?"

The Communications Commission (the Commission) is the National Regulatory Authority for the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors on the Island. In relation to the telecommunications sector the Commission is an economic regulator charged with promoting sustainable competition in the Isle of Man. The Commission is not a technical standards regulator and does not mandate technology or equipment.
The Commission works within the framework of the applicable legislation, the Telecommunications Act 1984. The Commission does not set policy on telecommunications, this is set by Council of Ministers. The role of the Commission is to licence telecommunications operators and ensure adherence to those licence conditions. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible the Commission has considered each of your questions, however the Commission does not hold, or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that has been requested

Please quote the reference number 1369037 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper

version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours faithfully