Vodafone taps Samsung for 5G network equipment as Korean giant enters Europe

British telecoms group Vodafone has chosen Samsung Electronics to supply its 5G network equipment in Britain, the pair said on Monday, a breakthrough for the South Korean company in Europe’s telecoms gear market.

European mobile operators are increasingly considering Samsung to replace China’s Huawei as a supplier, with executives from Spain’s Telefonica and France’s Orange previously telling Reuters they had held talks with the firm.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Britain has already ordered all Huawei equipment to be removed from its 5G network by the end of 2027, echoing a U.S. campaign against Huawei, citing national security risks.