5G expansion: Berlin plans Huawei ban

Hamburg, Berlin, Brussels The federal government plans to significantly restrict the use of Chinese technology in German mobile networks. The Handelsblatt learned this from government circles. Berlin’s efforts are likely to have serious consequences – for the relationship with Beijing, but also for the plans of the German network operators to expand the 5G mobile communications standard.

Accordingly, must Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica are also prepared to use components from Chinese manufacturers that have already been installed Huawei and ZTE to be subsequently removed from systems that are part of the critical infrastructure. The companies would have to bear the allegedly considerable costs themselves, said a top official.

For years, the Berlin ministries have been discussing the participation of Chinese technology companies in the 5G mobile networks and weigh warnings from the secret services against economic interests. Now the federal government seems to have knowledge that “safety-related” components of Huawei and ZTE are built into the German networks on a large scale. It’s about technology “that could enable a state to exercise political power,” the official said.