Paris (AFP)
Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei will not be "completely banned" from the French 5G market, but French operators using it will receive operating authorizations limited to eight years, according to the National Agency systems security (Anssi), which compromises the Chinese group's access to the hexagonal 5G market.
"What I can say is that there will not be a total ban. Operators who do not use Huawei, we encourage them not to go because it is a bit the natural sense of things Those who already use it, we issue authorizations whose duration varies between three and eight years ", declared in an interview with Echos Guillaume Poupard, director general of Anssi, charged by the government to investigate this file.
"The decisions are ready," said Poupard, confirming information from AFP on Tuesday that these decisions are just waiting to be signed by the executive.
Only three telecom equipment manufacturers, European Nokia and Ericsson and Chinese Huawei, are able to supply the equipment for the future 5G networks, the future mobile telecommunications system.
"There will be refusals," said Mr. Poupard to Les Echos, however excluding that these refusals concern Nokia and Ericsson, and thus indicating in hollow that only Huawei is concerned.
"What we are doing on 5G in France is a compromise. We must develop 5G under acceptable economic conditions for telecoms operators and also sovereign operators, which allow us not to be dependent on such and such equipment. or country ", explained the director of Anssi.
"Many of the antennas installed are compatible with 5G", he reacted in particular about the dissuasive nature of these restrictions, given the amount to be invested for operators.
"We are not in Huawei bashing, nor in anti-Chinese racism," said Mr. Poupard.
"We are in risk management. Not all telecom equipment manufacturers are created equal. I am not mentioning a name, but it is clear that we are not in the same risks when we speak of Chinese or American equipment. We are cautious with non-European equipment manufacturers, obviously, just as we would also be, for example, if all operators used the same equipment manufacturer, even if he was French, it would be catastrophic, "added Mr. Poupard.
"This is the whole point of the discussion with telecom operators on the choice of their equipment manufacturers. This is not a trial of intention that we make of such a company or such a country. The question is just that of sovereignty ", concluded Mr. Poupard.
© 2020 AFP