A small technology company that once worked with BT to connect remote fishing villages along the English-Scottish border to basic phone services is angling to fill the gap left by Huawei, after the UK government decided to phase out the Chinese group from 5G telecoms networks.
Airspan, which is based in Boca Raton in Florida and majority-owned by Oak Investment Partners, has made several forays into the UK in the past. As well as providing equipment to connect homes in rural areas to networks, such as its efforts alongside the river Tweed in the Borders during the 1990s, it has also attempted to buy spectrum in auctions.
While the kitmaker’s presence remained small as it struggled to compete with Huawei, Airspan’s chief executive Eric Stonestrom said the government’s decision to remove the Chinese manufacturer from critical infrastructure and to promote the use of alternative suppliers has created a fresh opportunity. “We tended to exit markets where Huawei was dominant,” he said. “We’re now doubling down on the UK,” he said.