Telefonica Deutschland picks Ericsson for 5G core network

(Reuters) - Telefonica Deutschland will build its 5G core mobile network in Germany using equipment from Ericsson, saying the choice of the Swedish supplier would safeguard the security of its next-generation services.

Germany’s three main operators are removing Huawei from their network cores but continue to rely on the Chinese vendor for the less sensitive peripheral radio access networks that will carry 5G traffic.

“As a network operator serving the most mobile customers in Germany we have a special social responsibility to provide secure networks,” Telefonica Deutschland CEO Markus Haas said in a statement on Tuesday.

Telefonica Deutschland will build a complete 5G core network with full cloud compatibility into its infrastructure this year, enabling it to handle increasing data volumes and support 5G features like network slicing and edge computing.