US mulls building 5G network amid China concerns: sources

Washington

THE US is in talks with private companies to build a secure 5G network amid concerns about China and cyber security, said two administration officials familiar with the plans.

Talks are preliminary, and key decisions over funding and control have not been reached, said the sources, who discussed the deliberations on condition of anonymity. The government aims to decide on a plan by the end of September and build it out over the next few years, said one of the officials.

If the US opts for one secure network rather than multiple systems, the main unresolved questions would be what portion of the project would be taxpayer funded, and whether it would be owned by the government, a private consortium or some combination of public and private entities, one of th…