Telefonica ditches Huawei’s 5G gear in Spain and Germany; keeps it in Brazil

MADRID (Reuters) -Spanish telecom giant Telefonica is replacing all of its 5G equipment made by Chinese manufacturer Huawei in Spain and Germany to comply with local rules, but it intends to keep it in Brazil.

“In both Germany and Spain, we are reducing our exposure to Huawei following the rules we have in these countries,” Chief Operating Officer Emilio Gayo told Reuters on Wednesday.

In both countries, telecom companies must phase out Huawei-made devices in core 5G networks over concerns the Chinese company’s handling of the critical infrastructure could pose a potential security risk.

In Britain, where Huawei gear is also banned, “we have a very, very low exposure to Huawei,” Gayo added.

However, neither Brazil nor other Latin American countries restrict the use of Huawei gear.

Telefonica’s Chief Executive Marc Murtra said his company made sure that all equipment from every provider complied with the same strict standards, guaranteeing security for the company and its customers.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro. Editing by David Latona and Mark Potter)