SPANISH telecoms firm Telefonica will slash equipment purchases from Chinese technology giant Huawei, its chief technology and information officer (CTIO) said yesterday.

The company will source the core parts of its next-generation European mobile network from several different providers to boost the security of the network.

CTIO Enrique Blanco said the move was "a purely technical decision", adding that Huawei equipment fits less well into networks made up of layers from multiple different providers.

Telefonica has relied entirely on Huawei for its 2G and 4G networks in key markets Spain and Germany, but involvement will end by 2024.

The US has banned Huawei from involvement with its 5G networks amid fears its equipment could be used for spying, and has encouraged its allies to follow suit. However, Blanco said he had not seen evidence supporting US claims that Huawei is a security threat.

(c) 2019 City A.M., source Newspaper