• Germany has finally decided on a timetable for the removal of Chinese technology from 5G networks
• Mobile core platforms, the brains of the networks, must be free of Chinese technology by the end of 2026
• But Germany’s telcos can still have Huawei and ZTE technology in their radio access network (RAN) infrastructure until the end of 2029

After years of negotiations and some major compromises, the German government has agreed a timeframe for the removal of Chinese technology from the country’s 5G networks:  Mobile core networks must be free of systems supplied by either Huawei or ZTE by the end of 2026, while the 5G radio access network (RAN) infrastructure of Germany’s telcos must be free of “critical” network management functionality by the end of 2029.

The move follows years of resistance from the country’s major mobile network operators, which have worked with Huawei for years and rate its technology highly. But at some point concessions were always going to be needed, as the European Commission’s Toolbox on 5G cybersecurity measures require European Union member states to identify “high-risk” technology suppliers and “apply restrictions, including necessary exclusions, to effectively mitigate the risks for sensitive and critical assets.”

According to the country’s Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, it recently held meetings with Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica, and “reached an agreement with the operators on the further use of critical components in the 5G mobile networks, and contracts under public law are now being signed with all three operators.” (Greenfield 5G network operator 1&1 has made a point of not using any Chinese technology in its network, so hasn’t been part of the process.)

Specifically, the agreements “obligate the mobile network operators to stop using all critical components made by Huawei and ZTE in their 5G core networks by the end of 2026. The operators are also required to replace the critical functions of Huawei’s and ZTE’s 5G network management systems in the access and transport networks of the 5G mobile network with technical solutions of other manufacturers by the end of 2029.”

The decision doesn’t impact the operators too much in terms of their mobile core platforms as neither Chinese vendor is a key partner to the German telcos in this part of the network, but the RAN is a different matter altogether: According to analysis by research firm Strand Consult, 59% of the 5G RAN deployed in German mobile networks at the end of 2022 came from Chinese vendors.

So now Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Germany and Telefónica Deutschland (aka O2 Telefónica) are faced with a tricky decision, even though they have more than five years to hit the German government’s goals. Do they rip out and replace all the Chinese technology – antennas, network management systems and all other components – from their radio access networks? Or do they try to keep the hardware elements, particularly the antennas, and replace the “critical functions of Huawei’s and ZTE’s 5G network management systems” with alternative technology either sourced from other vendors or developed in-house? Keeping the hardware and installing new software is a very tricky option because the Chinese systems do not have open interfaces that enable the hardware elements to work with third-party software, but it’s also potentially less expensive than replacing everything lock, stock and barrel.

Whatever the decisions made, the operators now have deadlines to work to.

Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, noted: “We have examined the risks posed by critical components from Huawei and ZTE in German 5G mobile networks very carefully. We have now reached a clear and strict agreement with the telecommunications companies. These critical components must be removed from the core networks by the end of 2026 at the latest. The critical management systems in the access and transport networks must be replaced by the end of 2029 at the latest. That applies to all 5G networks in Germany, not only to a few key locations. In this way, we are protecting the central nervous system of Germany’s businesses and industry – and we are protecting the communication of private individuals, businesses and government. We must reduce security risks and avoid dependence on a single source, unlike in the past. We must become more self-sufficient and resilient. The threat environment today underscores the importance of secure and resilient telecommunications infrastructure, especially in view of the risks of sabotage and espionage.”

The ministry also agreed to set up an industry forum to figure out how the removal and/or replacement of Huawei and ZTE technology can be best achieved. “The forum will consist of the Federal Government, all operators of 5G networks, industry partners and manufacturers. It will ensure a structured dialogue on open interfaces, 6G standards, network protection, and information and cyber security,” noted the government body. 

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV