Germany relies on Huawei for 5G wireless access network equipment (RAN) even more than its 4G network, despite growing concerns about the Chinese vendor’s involvement in critical infrastructure, according to a new survey report.
According to the Global Times, the survey report comes from Strand Consult, a telecommunications consulting firm headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. The survey involved 102 mobile network operators in 31 European countries, aiming to understand their 5G networks. The Share of Chinese and Non-Chinese Vendors is one in a series of reports on “Cyber Security and China”.
The survey results show that in 8 of the 31 countries, more than 50% of 5G wireless access network equipment comes from Chinese manufacturers. Among them, 100% of the 5G wireless access network equipment in one country comes from Chinese manufacturers. Overall, 41% of mobile subscribers in Europe have access to 5G equipment from Chinese providers. In 2020, 51% of European mobile users will be connected to 4G equipment from Chinese manufacturers.
In particular, the report pointed to the continued dependence of Germany, Europe’s largest economy, on China. The report shows that in 2022, Huawei’s share of 5G radio access network equipment in Germany will reach 59%, while in 2020, Huawei’s share of this equipment in 4G networks will be 57%. Even Huawei’s market share in Germany is higher than that in China, because it still faces competition with manufacturers such as ZTE in China.
However, some telecom operators no longer use equipment from Chinese suppliers. Many northern and eastern European countries, notably Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia, use little to no 5G equipment from Chinese suppliers.
Huawei has repeatedly denied that its equipment poses a security risk and accused Washington of wanting to protect American companies that cannot compete with Chinese technology and prices.
