German 5G network ban said to loom for Huawei and ZTE
- Reference: 1678197961
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/03/07/huawei_germany/
- Source link:
The German federal government plans to forbid mobile operators from installing key components from Huawei and ZTE into their 5G networks, according to local reports. The ban will extend to already installed equipment, requiring companies to rip and replace components made by the two Chinese suppliers.
The reports come from German newspaper [1]Zeit Online , which claims the information originated from loquacious people in “government circles.”
[2]
The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, it says, have been conducting checks into Germany’s expanding 5G networks looking for anything that might prove a threat to security.
[3]
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The authorities are apparently concerned that suppliers based in countries including China may be controlled by their governments, and that this could lead to them having illicit access to Germany’s telecoms networks.
This development appears to be a change in policy for a government that previously resisted pressure from Washington to exclude China-made equipment – from Huawei in particular – from its telecoms networks.
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In 2019, the head of Germany's Federal Office for Information Security was insistent that any [6]risks posed by Huawei were manageable , and mobile networks would be safer being built using equipment from a range of different vendors.
In fact, the situation seems rather reminiscent of the UK, where the government was initially sanguine about the threat posed by having Huawei equipment deployed in 5G networks. A special unit, the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre, was set up years ago to analyze the code inside the company’s network kit and found evidence of shoddy programming, but no backdoors.
However, the UK came under sustained political pressure from the US to eject Huawei from its networks, with threats such as a [7]withdrawal of intelligence sharing if Westminster failed to comply with Washington’s demands.
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In 2020, the UK government [9]banned Britain’s telcos from purchasing equipment from the Chinese company, and last year issued [10]formal legal notices that any already installed kit must be [11]removed by the end of 2027 .
It isn’t clear whether [12]US pressure has also influenced the German government’s change of mind, but it has not happened overnight. Zeit Online reports that concern has been growing in the country for some time that key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology. For this reason, legislation was passed in 2021 requiring components for critical IT infrastructure to be approved by the BSI and the Ministry of the Interior.
It is also possible the wider geopolitical situation, with the war in Ukraine and increasing tensions between the US and China, has caused Berlin to re-evaluate the potential risks posed by having Chinese equipment in its telecoms networks.
[13]Orange has an elegant solution to Huawei question in France: We'll stick with Nokia and Ericsson for 5G networks
[14]Huawei launches UK charm offensive: We've provided 2G, 3G and 4G for 20 years, and you're worried about 5G?
[15]Rip and replace is such a long Huawei to go, UK telcos plead, citing 'blackouts' and 'billion pound' costs: Are Vodafone and BT playing 'Project Fear'?
[16]Federal bans aren't stopping US states from buying forbidden Chinese kit
Telecoms analyst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight took a slightly different view, that Berlin may have been swayed by internal concerns within the country, as had been at odds with partners and allies.
“Before now Germany has taken a different view compared to its European counterparts. This has led to unrest and concern among key stakeholders which is probably why Germany is reconsidering its current approach,” he said.
Zeit Online also reports that Germany’s telecoms operators “did not want to wait years before expanding their networks” and were pushing for certainty on whether Chinese kit was acceptable or not before committing to more investment.
The cost of ripping and replacing Huawei [17]likely won't be cheap . In Britain, BT said projected the [18]costs at close to £500 million ($599 million) . Vodafone estimated its [19]costs at €200 million ($213 million).
This will inevitably be another blow for Huawei, Pescatore said. The company invested heavily in research and development of 5G technology, but has seen Western markets increasingly closed off for what it regards as politically motivated reasons.
The FT reports that Huawei is now hunting for new markets, especially in south-east Asia, and is currently lobbying to play a part in Malaysia’s rollout of 5G networks.
However, despite Washington pressuring allies into banning Chinese kit, it seems that individual US states are still happy to do so. At least, that was the situation last year, when The Register reported that thousands of public officials across the US were [20]still purchasing prohibited technology from Huawei, ZTE, and other Chinese companies, and that most state and local governments simply had not made any changes to their procurement policies.
A spokeperson at ZTE senty us a statement: "ZTE's products remain secure and no evidence has been produced that would suggest otherwise. Our 5G NR products recently received NESAS CCS-GI certificate, demonstrating that we comply with German security standards. ZTE maintains an attitude of openness and transparency, we welcome external assessment and scrutiny of our products."
A press spokeperson at Huawei sent us a statement: "Huawei has a strong security record in Germany and around the world for over 20 years.
"Huawei believes that there should an objective and factual discussion about how risks in cyberspace can be mitigated. This approach includes clear standards, certifications and verifications. The consensus among the vast majority of security experts is that restrictions of a reliable supplier with a strong security record will not make infrastructure more secure." ®
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[1] https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2023-03/5g-ausbau-bundesregierung-verbot-huawei
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZAdtugFLLMizls9nljUp5AAAAFU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZAdtugFLLMizls9nljUp5AAAAFU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZAdtugFLLMizls9nljUp5AAAAFU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZAdtugFLLMizls9nljUp5AAAAFU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2019/07/29/germany_dont_panic_on_huawei/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2019/04/29/huawei_us_spat/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZAdtugFLLMizls9nljUp5AAAAFU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/14/huawei_ban_uk/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/13/uk_telcos_huawei_ban/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/13/uk_telcos_huawei_ban/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/25/us_spies_call_for_open_standards_to_fight_huawei_threat/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2020/02/04/orange_nokia/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/08/huawei_uk_charm_offensive/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/10/huawei_testimony/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/28/federal_bans_china_law/
[17] https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/10/huawei_testimony/
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2020/01/30/bt_uk_huawei_costs/
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2020/02/05/vodafone_to_strip_huawei_gear_from_its_network/
[20] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/28/federal_bans_china_law/
[21] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology
For starters the US is not engaging in genocide and does not run concentration camps.
Re: key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology
> For starters the US is not engaging in genocide and does not run concentration camps.
Well, it did previously - the genocide of the native peoples and the WW2 "internment" camps of anyone looking a bit Asian - but one would think the primary concern of the German government would be how this affects Germany and German citizens, rather than what another country is doing within their borders to their citizens.
Re: key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology
The USA murdered 1 million Iraqis.
Guantanamo? Ring a bell?
Re: key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology
" For starters the US is not engaging in genocide and does not run concentration camps. "
What the hell does that have to do with whether or not the country of supply is spying on others?
It's a really simple question - if the Germans are going to pull out Chinese tech because of fears about back doors, spying, and hijacking important parts of infrastructure.... what are they going to replace that with? The only trustworthy hardware that Germany can use is fully German built. And I suspect such a thing might not exist, else surely they'd have already done that.
To install American kit in place of the Chinese? We all know that the US government is an unhealthy mixture of paranoid, batshit crazy (well, half of them) and massive data fetishists. We all know that the spook agencies operate above the usual legal process. We all know that they often think their laws apply extraterritorially. Therefore, if we're going to talk about theoretical fears, the only real benefit that America has at this point in time is that they are supposed to be an ally.
So I repeat the question. If Chinese tech is bad, what tech is good?
Re: key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology
It will be Nokia and Ericsson no doubt, and I think Germany might still have a stake in Nokia networks.
Well
-> However, the UK came under sustained political pressure from the US to eject Huawei from its networks, with threats such as a withdrawal of intelligence sharing if Westminster failed to comply with Washington’s demands.
America's intelligence long term: The Taliban will lose, the western stooge government can last years.
Analysis: America has no credibility for long term intelligence.
America's intelligence short term: The people bombed on the last day were terrorists preparing to attack good bible-reading Americans.
Analysis: The family murdered by America was entirely innocent. America has no credibility for short term intelligence.
We can do without that kind of unintelligence.
I'm guessing
They'll be buying Russian instead.
key parts of critical infrastructure might become dependent on foreign technology
So if they aren't having Chinese kit, whose are they having? American? How is that any better?