Germany’s Interior Ministry is preparing a broad restriction on Chinese network equipment in the country’s mobile networks, according to a ministry spokesperson quoted by Handelsblatt. The ministry said critical infrastructure risks and dependencies should be reassessed in light of the changing security environment.
The plans are linked to a revised list of critical components being prepared by the Federal Network Agency. For the first time, the regulator is considering classifying 5G base stations as especially security-sensitive. These stations connect mobile phones to the wider network and are distributed across the country.
Because network suppliers often sell integrated equipment packages, a ban on Chinese-made base stations could make it difficult for operators to use other products from the same suppliers. In practice, the rules could therefore lead to the exclusion of Huawei and ZTE. Potential alternatives include European vendors Nokia and Ericsson, as well as South Korea’s Samsung.
The Interior Ministry also pointed to the development of 6G, saying security planning should prevent the use of critical components from suppliers that may not be trustworthy. It said telecommunications security requirements should evolve in response to changing risks and new technologies.
Sources: Handelsblatt.