Mobile network German mobile network providers must replace Chinese technology in 5G network

Technology from China is to largely disappear from German mobile networks. Government representatives and mobile phone companies have reached a compromise in the long-running dispute over the phasing out of components from Chinese providers Huawei and ZTE.

The mobile phone providers have agreed to the exchange, which they have resisted for so long, as confirmed by the German Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD). At the same time, the companies will be given long transition periods for the costly conversion.

Faeser said that the risks posed by critical components from Chinese manufacturers in German 5G mobile networks had been examined very closely. "We have now made a clear and strict decision. Critical components may no longer be used in the core network by the end of 2026 at the latest. In the access and transport networks, the critical management systems must be replaced by the end of 2029 at the latest." This applies to 5G networks everywhere in Germany and is not limited to a few important locations.

Faeser emphasized that this would protect the central nervous systems of Germany as a business location. "We are protecting the communication of citizens, companies and the state. We must reduce security risks and, unlike in the past, avoid one-sided dependencies. We must become more independent and more crisis-proof."

A spokesperson for Vodafone said that this agreement was technically challenging for mobile operators: "But it is feasible and, in our opinion, the right way forward." For infrastructure investors, the agreement finally provides the much-needed predictability.