https://www.flickr.com/photos/70715205@N00
Monte Carlo in Monaco now has full 5G coverage, thanks to Huawei equipment. (Image credit: Flickr / gabriellaksz)

The principality of Monaco is the first country in Europe to cover its entire area with a 5G network featuring Huawei equipment, giving the Shenzhen-based telecom giant an opportunity to showcase its equipment in real time.

Why it matters: Monaco is the first on the continent to fully welcome Huawei 5G technology as part of its core infrastructure.

  • The debut gives Huawei an opportunity to showcase its products to more European governments and authorities.

“It allows us to make a shop window in a number of areas, notably linking 5G development to this intelligent state.”

Huawei Vice President Guo Ping

Details: Monaco Telecom, owned by a French billionaire, signed the agreement with Huawei in September.

  • Monaco’s telecom operator says it has taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of the network.

Context: As the US-China trade war plows on with Huawei’s 5G bids at the eye of the cyclone, Europe has been struggling to pick a side. The US maintains that Huawei poses a national security risk. But European leaders are not entirely convinced and countries are making their own assessments. The UK will use Huawei equipment on non-core parts of its 5G network, while Germany is on the fence.

  • A report by the GSMA, the industry group representing telecom companies, found that excluding Huawei and ZTE from European 5G networks could cost operators up to an additional $62 billion.
  • The Principality is the second smallest country in the world, with one of the highest per capita incomes.
  • Monaco is not part of the European Union, but maintains close relations, uses the euro, and has effectively abolished border controls with the EU.

Eliza was TechNode's blockchain and fintech reporter until July 2021, when she moved to CoinDesk to cover crypto in Asia. Get in touch with her via email or Twitter.

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