The German government announced on Thursday that it has successfully negotiated an agreement with major telecom companies to phase out the use of critical Huawei and ZTE components in their 5G mobile infrastructure within a five-year period. This decision marks a significant move by a European country to restrict Chinese companies from vital telecommunications infrastructure.
“We are safeguarding the core infrastructure of the German economy and ensuring the secure communication of citizens, businesses, and governmental entities,” stated Interior Minister Nancy Faeser during a press conference in Berlin.
The agreement with leading telecom providers including Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telefonica involves a two-step process. Initially, Chinese-made critical components will be removed from the core segments of the country’s 5G networks by the end of 2026. Subsequently, components manufactured by Huawei and ZTE will be phased out from antennas, transmission lines, and towers by the end of 2029.
Huawei and ZTE have not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the agreement.
Germany, representing approximately a quarter of mobile customers in the European Union, has a significant reliance on the Chinese export market. Despite this dependency, the country has taken a firm stance against Chinese firms due to security concerns. Previous to this decision, Germany had been certifying components through individual security assessments.
Other European countries such as Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania have already implemented bans on Huawei and ZTE components. Minister Faeser reiterated that the agreement was the outcome of extensive negotiations with German telecom providers who had expressed concerns about the complexity and costs associated with a rapid transition away from Huawei and ZTE components.
The discussion around banning Huawei and ZTE from German mobile infrastructure dates back to the previous government led by Angela Merkel. The decision to phase out Chinese components announced on Thursday follows a thorough security evaluation, according to Minister Faeser.
“The current threat landscape emphasizes the critical importance of a secure and resilient telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in light of the risks posed by sabotage and espionage,” she emphasized.
