A group of twelve European telecom company leaders has voiced opposition to a proposed ban on Chinese network equipment manufacturers, arguing that such a move could lead to significant economic losses and higher costs. These executives, representing major companies like France's Orange, Germany's Deutsche Telekom, and Spain's Telefónica, issued a joint statement through the industry group Connect Europe. They warned that banning Chinese equipment could increase expenses and reduce the capital available for expanding fiber networks and developing next-generation 5G and 6G technologies. The European Commission recently included a proposal in a new cybersecurity law that would ban telecom equipment manufacturers deemed to pose a risk to network security. While the proposal does not explicitly name companies like Huawei and ZTE, these firms are widely seen as the main targets. According to Connect Europe, replacing existing Chinese equipment under such a ban could cost up to 40 billion euros. Meanwhile, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU estimates that banning Chinese telecom equipment could lead to over 350 billion euros in economic losses across Europe over the next five years. In addition to opposing the ban on Chinese equipment, the telecom executives also resisted a government push to force the replacement of copper telephone lines with fiber-optic networks. They argued that such a transition should be driven by market demand rather than government mandates. Copper lines, which have been used for decades, are slower and less reliable than fiber, but replacing them is costly and time-consuming. The European Commission had previously proposed extending the deadline for phasing out copper networks to 2035, giving telecom companies more time to transition to fiber. This move was intended to allow for a more gradual and cost-effective shift. However, the recent push for a ban on Chinese equipment and the pressure to modernize infrastructure have sparked debate over how best to balance security concerns, economic costs, and technological progress.