The 5G antenna that once stood in Huawei’s Paris showroom reserved for its professional customers has disappeared. Since the law of August 2019, known as 5G, “aimed at preserving the interests of the defense and national security of France in the context of the operation of mobile radio networks”, the Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer has understood that its equipment is no longer welcome among French operators. The state wanted to avoid any risk of potential espionage by foreign interests.
Huawei antennas are not completely prohibited. On the other hand, as soon as an operator wishes to erect one of these devices to extend or strengthen its network, it must now obtain authorization from the National Agency for Information Systems Security (Anssi).
This ensures that no Huawei antenna is located near facilities deemed strategic, whether military, governmental or industrial. A city like Toulouse, headquarters of Airbus and French capital of aeronautics, is thus prohibited to the Chinese group. As a result, SFR, which had planned to inaugurate its 5G network in the Pink City in 2020 with Huawei equipment, had to urgently fall back on Nice.
On sites banned by Anssi, operators have no choice but to use equipment manufactured by the Europeans Nokia and Ericsson, not affected by the 2019 law. By 2028, SFR and Bouygues Telecom , Huawei’s two main mobile customers in France, will have to replace several thousand antennas. Furious, the Bouygues subsidiary continues to fight before the administrative courts so that the State compensates it for the costs of these dismantlings.
“Their market share was no longer intended to grow”
“The 5G law is not a banning text”unlike US legislation targeting Chinese companies, “and was not intended to close the internal market to any foreign player”recalls the deputy Eric Bothorel (Renaissance), rapporteur of the 2019 text. But “their market share was no longer intended to grow”he nuances.
On this point, the operation worked, judging by the evolution of Huawei France’s turnover, which fell from 1.4 billion euros in 2019 to 936 million in 2021, the latest data published by the group. 5G now represents only 10% of its revenues.
The Chinese group is taking advantage of multiple windows still open to continue to trade in France, in fiber optics, data storage, connected objects, energy, etc.
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