France to allow some Huawei gear in its 5G network
France will authorize the use of some of Huawei’s equipment
in the rollout of its 5G network, two sources close to the matter told Reuters,
despite U.S. calls to exclude the Chinese telecoms giant from the West’s
next-generation communications.
The French cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, is due to tell
telecoms operators which equipment they are allowed to use for the deployment
of their 5G network in France, but has not made public any decision.
The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said
ANSSI had decided to approve the use of Huawei gear, but only for what they
described as non-core parts of the network, as these pose less significant
security risks.
“They don’t want to ban Huawei, but the principle is: ‘Get
them out of the core mobile network’,” one of the two sources said.
A spokeswoman for ANSSI declined to comment.
Core mobile networks carry higher surveillance risks because
they incorporate more sophisticated software programs that process sensitive
information such as customers’ personal data.
French authorities’ decision over Huawei’s equipment is
crucial for two of the country’s four telecoms operators, Bouygues Telecom and
Altice Europe’s SFR, as about half of their current mobile network is made by
the Chinese group.
State-controlled Orange, has already chosen Huawei’s European
rivals, Nokia and Ericsson, which U.S. operates have favored over Huawei.
Up to now, sources close to the French telecoms industry
have said they fear Huawei will be barred in practice even if no formal ban is
announced.
BRITAIN’S FOOTSTEPS
By granting a partial authorization to Huawei, France would
follow Britain’s footsteps, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson granted
Huawei a limited role in the country’s 5G network.
Neighboring Germany is also struggling to reach consensus on
the way forward. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling conservatives back tougher
rules on foreign vendors but have stopped short of an outright ban on Huawei.
France is likely to follow instructions given by European
Union’s industry chief Thierry Breton, who said in interviews that telecoms
operators should not select “risky vendors” for strategic sites such as capital
cities, military bases and nuclear plants, a separate telecoms industry source
said.
Without ever citing Shenzhen-based Huawei, Breton has said a
“risky vendor” was a company that heavily relies on a foreign state or a state
that could compel it to disclose clients’ data.
ANSSI was initially due to give the first results of the
screening of the 5G telecoms gear about a month ago.
The cybersecurity agency’s decision was delayed because it
asked operators additional questions in December, the same telecoms source
said.
But it also has had intense exchanges with its overseeing
authority, France’s prime minister office, as well as its British and German
peers, to find a common approach toward Huawei, one of the two sources close to
the matter said.
The Chinese group said last month that it planned to build
its first European manufacturing plant in France as it seeks to ease concerns stoked
by U.S. charges that Beijing could use its equipment for spying — which it
denies.
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