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.