Germany is considering a possible ban on the use of Huawei and ZTE technologies in 5G networks

Germany is considering restricting the use of equipment from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in its 5G networks, Reuters reports, citing a government source. The country's Ministry of the Interior plans to make changes to the 5G infrastructure, as a market review has shown Germany's dependence on these two Chinese suppliers.

According to the source, the ministry is studying the possibility of gradually restricting the use of Huawei and ZTE equipment in 5G networks in order to avoid significant interference and due to the plan until 2026.

German telecommunications operators immediately responded to this initiative and expressed their disagreement with the changes that could affect their operations. Huawei also reacted to these plans, calling them "politicization" of cybersecurity in the country and noting that it could lead to increased network costs, which would affect German consumers.

Currently, Huawei accounts for about 59% of 5G RAN networks in Germany, which indicates the company's significant influence in this market.

It is important to note that Germany lags behind other EU countries in implementing security tools for 5G networks. Security measures were agreed three years ago to limit the use of vendors considered "high-risk" such as Huawei and ZTE due to fears of possible sabotage or espionage.

The German Interior Ministry plans to present its approach to the government next week, but may face resistance from the Digital Ministry due to concerns about the impact of these restrictions on the development of the digital sphere in the country.