The stand-off between the USA and Chinese telco equipment vendors continued to intensify last week as the US Department of Justice charged Huawei with 10 counts of theft of trade secrets from T-Mobile USA; and with separate charges of wire fraud and obstruction of justice. Such actions are just the tip of the iceberg of worsening US-China tensions over trade wars and national security claims, but operators round the world are railing against governments’ interference in their 5G supplier choices and their prospects of achieving early-stage 5G roll-out without significant capex increases (see separate item). Deutsche Telekom – Germany’s incumbent and, ironically, TMO USA’s parent – is leading the charge, claiming that, if it is prevented from buying kit from…