Germany and its government has decided to ban Huawei’s and ZTE’s 5G network equipment as well as technology that will be enacted over the course of the next 5 years based on suspicions of espionage and privacy sabotage. Their government has announced an agreement with Europe’s major telecommunications companies – Vodafone, Telefonica, and Deutsche Telekom – to abandon components from both Chinese tech giants over cybersecurity purposes by the end of 2029.
The phase-out will commence within two stages. The first stage will bar Huawei or ZTE gear in its core 5G networks. This means control centres connected to the internet will have to go.The second stage will see all radios, antennas, and other hardware on the edge of the networks made completely removed from the country’s infrastructure.
Germany is set to become the latest European country to ban the use of critical components made by Huawei or ZTE in core parts of the country’s 5G networks. The German government wants critical components from the companies to be barred from 5G core networks by the end 2026, while “critical management systems” from the two manufacturers, specifically 5G access and transport networks, must be replaced by the end of 2029.
“We have examined the risks from critical components manufactured by Huawei and ZTE in German 5G cell phone networks very carefully, “Faeser said as she announced the “clear and strict agreement” with German Operators.
Berlin has often floundered on what actions it should take over the Chinese companies, despite pressure from the US in recent years, pushing European allies to ban Huawei’s equipment in their networks over fears Beijing could use it for cyber-snooping or sabotaging private and/or critical communications infrastructure.
The UK and US have already blocked Huawei from its 5G rollouts over those same fears. However, Huawei has long denied any accusations or the stories involved. Huawei has told CNN that “there is no specific evidence or scenario” that its technology has cybersecurity risks.
Germany is likely to see some sabre rattling coming from China. It also doesn’t help that the Asian powerhouse is one of its major trade partners, so the former can expect some repercussions of sorts. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already made a statement, saying that “turning economic, trade, and technological issues into politics will only disrupt normal technological exchanges.”
(Source: CNN, EuroNews, TechSpot)
Haikal Nazri contributed to this article.
