Monaco has launched the next-generation 5G mobile network technology and with that, it has become the first country in Europe to launch the 5G network based on the technology supplied from China-based Huawei.

The development comes at a time when the United States has banned Huawei citing national security and has been lobbying its allies to drop Huawei for the development of infrastructure for the next-gen communications technology.

As the technology is slowing shifting away from 3G and 4G towards the adoption of 5G, Europe has been torn over the approach of using Huawei’s equipment as the Chinese giant is a pioneer in the 5G technology.

Last year, in September, Monaco Telecom, which is owned by French billionaire Xavier Niel, had signed an agreement with Huawei to make the tiny principality the first country in Europe fully covered by 5G. During the inauguration ceremony, Monaco Telecom president Etienne Franzi said: “We are the first state to be entirely covered by a 5G network. In Monaco, the 5G is the promise of a better quality of life for all and exceptional opportunities.”

Defending the decision of using equipment from Chinese telecom giant Huawei, Monaco Telecom’s director-general Martin Peronnet said in May last year that “there are many countries and operators that are in the process of finalizing a 5G roll-out with Huawei or who have already done so.”

Huawei’s involvement in the roll-out of 5G networks has become a political issue after the United States raised concerns over potential security risks and pushed its closest allies to reject the Chinese firm.

US intelligence agencies believe Huawei is backed by the Chinese military and that its equipment could provide Beijing’s intelligence services with a back door into the communications networks of rival countries. However, Huawei has denied all these claims and the United States have provided no evidence to back its allegations.

Huawei claims that it has signed 50 contracts worldwide, including 28 with European operators, for the 5G technology. South Korea has already announced complete nationwide 5G coverage while in Europe smaller nations like Switzerland, Finland and Estonia have started deploying the technology.

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