Huawei controversy opens field for 5G challengers

With growing pressure to keep China’s Huawei out of 5G network development, it could be time for firms like Japan’s NEC and South Korea’s Samsung to shine.

Washington has pushed allies to bar Huawei, a Chinese telecom giant, from building next-generation 5G mobile networks, claiming its equipment can be used to spy for Beijing.

Huawei denies the charges, but US pressure has prompted an about-turn in Britain.

The government had already pledged to cut the firm out of the most sensitive “core” elements of 5G that access personal data, and is now reportedly pushing for plans to end Huawei’s involvement in Britain’s 5G infrastructure by 2023.

But excluding Huawei is not without challenges, because there are currently only two alternatives in Europe for 5G equipment such as antennas and relay masts: Finland’s Nokia and Sweden’s Ericsson.