In brief: A complete replacement of Chinese network equipment for European mobile operators is estimated to cost €40 billion instead of the €10 billion initially assumed by Brussels.
A new study puts the cost of replacing Chinese network equipment in European mobile networks at up to €40 billion – four times higher than original EU scenarios. This has significant consequences for the financing of 5G and 6G infrastructure in Europe.
European regulatory authorities and security concerns regarding Huawei and ZTE as network operators have led to discussions about partial or complete bans on these providers. A recent study quantifies the economic impact of such a step significantly higher than previously assumed by the European Commission.
While EU estimates assumed approximately €10 billion, the new study concludes that European mobile operators would need to spend up to €40 billion on the replacement and migration of hardware, software, and existing infrastructure. These costs include not only direct hardware replacement, but also network restructuring, testing, and operational disruptions during the transition.
For CISOs, this means that security decisions to exclude certain suppliers may be necessary, but come with significant investments in alternative supply chains, supplier diversification, and migration planning. The financial burden could also impact the timeline and prioritization of other cybersecurity investments and requires early alignment with the CFO and business units on budget planning.
Source: www.heise.de · Published 23 July 2026
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