Germany: Announced Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs agreement with mobile operators to cease using Huawei and ZTE components in their 5G core networks

On 11 July 2024, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs announced that it reached an agreement with mobile operators to prohibit the use of critical components made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in core parts of the country's 5G networks. This will be implemented in two phases starting in 2026. Furthermore, "critical management systems" from these manufacturers must be replaced in 5G access and transport networks by the end of 2029. The decision follows negotiations with Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telefonica, the operators of Germany's 5G networks, and agreements will be signed with all three companies. The decision to ban the use of Huawei and ZTE components follows a review of Chinese components used in the German 5G mobile network and the risk they pose to the communications infrastructure. The review prioritised identifying risks, averting threats, and avoiding dependencies, particularly in critical infrastructure.