Deutsche Telekom Halts Further 5G Deals

German operator Deutsche Telekom has halted any further deals to buy 5G gear while waiting for the German government to decide if it will ban Huawei, Reuters reported.

“In light of the unclear political situation, we are not currently entering into any 5G contracts, with any vendor“, DT said and had informed equipment suppliers of this. Their comes as senior members in the German government made fresh opposition against Huawei’s involvement in 5G deployments, calling for a ban on national security grounds.

Until now, the country appeared to be set to allow the company, which is already a key vendor in Germany, to sell 5G equipment to operators. Chancellor Angela Merkel backed a proposed regulatory framework in October, which outlined Germany’s intentions not to impose blanket bans on any single provider.

However, the opposition has changed the situation, leaving DT in a tight spot, added Reuters. Deutsche Telekom launched 5G in a small number of German cities, with plans to extend to 20 cities in 2020. The company added it hopes to get political clarity for Germany’s 5G buildout as soon as possible, “so that we do not fall behind“.