U.S. officials are moving forward with plans to cut off Huawei’s chip supplies in an effort to blunt the company’s 5G dominance.
The U.S. has banned Huawei and is pressuring allies to do the same. Officials claim the company serves as an arm of the Chinese government’s spying operations and opens countries that use the company’s equipment to spying by Beijing. Huawei has vehemently denied the claims, but that hasn’t stopped U.S. officials from taking almost every opportunity to target the company.
Several weeks ago, officials began considering altering the Foreign Direct Product Rule to make it difficult for the Chinese firm to access the chips it needs. Now, according to Reuters, the U.S. is moving forward with those plans.
“The decision came when U.S. officials from various agencies met and agreed on Wednesday to alter the Foreign Direct Product Rule, which subjects some foreign-made goods based on U.S. technology or software to U.S. regulations,” Reuters’ sources said.
Only time will tell how much of an impact the change will have, but U.S. officials will likely consider any impact a win.
While it may seem 5G is taking a long time to roll out, new data shows deployment is moving along much faster than its predecessors.
According to 5G Americas, citing research by Omdia, 5G adoption has actually far outpaced previous generations of wireless technology. For example, “it took roughly 10 quarters, or until Q1 2012, for 4G LTE to reach 17.9 million connections – roughly where 5G is today. 3G did not reach that mark until December 2010, after 11 Quarters and 2G reached it in December 1995, after 14 quarters.”
As a result, the 17.7 million 5G connections globally in Q4 2019 represent a 329% growth rate over the previous quarter. Even more impressive, that number is five million subscribers ahead of projections.
“We truly had a great year in 2019, as 5G adoption has surpassed most forecasts,” said Chris Pearson, President, 5G Americas. “With the first year of 5G completed, 2020 is shaping up to be focused on the growth of new 5G devices, increasing coverage, increasing network densification, and probably the first 5G Stand Alone deployments.”
The research is good news for the 5G industry and customers alike, especially given the revolutionary speeds the technology promises.
Microsoft has announced an agreement to acquire Affirmed Networks, the “virtualized, cloud-native mobile network” startup.
The acquisition will help Microsoft as networks transition to 5G. In the past, “wireless networks have been based on purpose-built hardware,” writes Yousef Khalidi, Corporate Vice President, Azure Networking. “We believe that with innovation in software and by making use of broadly available cloud computing platforms like Microsoft Azure, operators can deploy and maintain 5G networks and services more efficiently, more cost effectively, more rapidly and more securely.”
That’s where Affirmed Networks comes in. The company offers “Affirmed UnityCloud™ 5g core (5gc) is a cloud-native solution built on an open, webscale architecture that enables mobile operators to build the most innovative 5GC network, and dramatically reduce the costs of operating the network up to 90% by simplifying and automating network functions. UnityCloud converges ‘Any G’, including 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G core networks, and wireline core, onto one unified platform, greatly simplifying the overall network architecture.”
Combined with Azure, Affirmed Networks’ platforms will give Microsoft an edge in the competitive 5G landscape.
President Trump signed two bills into law Monday, aimed at improving both 5G security and broadband availability.
According to a statement by the Whitehouse, the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020, calls on the “President to develop a strategy to: (1) ensure the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure in the United States; and (2) assist allies and strategic partners in maximizing the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure.”
This has been an ongoing concern for U.S. officials, as Huawei is one of the top three network equipment providers and is widely believed to be the leader in scale and technology. The U.S. has banned the firm from participating in its own networks, and engaged in a campaign to pressures allies to do the same over concerns the company is a conduit for Beijing to spy on governments and countries throughout the world. Throughout the process, the U.S. has framed the debate about network security as a national security issue. As a result, it’s not surprising Trump signed the bill into law.
The second bill, the “Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act or the Broadband DATA Act” is aimed at improving the accuracy of information about availability of broadband services. To do that, it “requires the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules relating to the collection of data with respect to the availability of broadband services.”
The signing of the bills was met with bipartisan praise. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce issues the following statement:
“The bills signed into law today by the President are critical to ensuring that all Americans can access broadband and that our networks are secure and trusted.”
“The fact is as much as 5G is going to be tremendous, and it’s going to bring an amazing architectural shift to our economy and to our markets and economy, it’s still not here,” says Skyworks Solutions CEO Liam Griffin. “It is here in certain areas but the rollout has been somewhat delayed due to the pandemic.”
Liam Griffin, CEO of Skyworks Solutions, discusses on CNBC how thepandemic has temporarily delayed 5G but ultimately it will be a big part of a whole new world.
It’s a Stay At Home World Right Now
It’s a stay at home world right now (due to the pandemic). I talked about the digital traffic jam three or four years ago. At that time we talked about the networks being compressed and taxed and digitally clogged and we’re seeing this today. I mean it’s great that we’re seeing the network interfaces and the data traffic and the ability to do what we’re doing but we’re nowhere near where we’re headed.
We’ve got a long way to go in 5G. We’ve also got incredible Wi-Fi technologies coming. I think this pandemic situation is very difficult. It is a challenge and a big deal. But I think the technologies that we’re working on in our ecosystem with partners like Verizon and infrastructure players and even the Chinese⎯we’re all coming together to make this work. It’s a real indication of how necessary these applications are to the economy.
5G Delayed Due To The Pandemic
The fact is as much as 5G is going to be tremendous, and it’s going to bring an amazing architectural shift to our economy and to our markets and economy, it’s still not here. It is here in certain areas but the rollout has been somewhat delayed due to the pandemic. However, we’re going to see a bigger uptick in the second half.
We’re working with the marquee companies largely in the US, China, and Europe and we’re seeing some great technologies. They’re going to launch, it’s just delayed right now. That’s where we’re going to see the quality, the experience, the bandwidth upside that we’ve been talking about. That will happen.
5G Is a Multi-Year Thematic Move
5G is a multi-year thematic move. The interesting thing is that people today are clamoring to get the technology. The issue that we have and in what manifests in the demand weakness has really come about by a supply shock. It’s the supply chain in Asia and other parts of the world where folks couldn’t go to their factories and work. It creates a delay but we don’t think it’s perishable.
We think this 5G technology is absolutely going to launch. Some of that demand that did not get executed in our Q1 or Q2 will move forward into the back half of 2020 and certainly into 2021. We see this as a pause more than a complete deep dive.
Interesting Applications Are Really Emerging Through 5G
I saw the Verizon CEO talking about a 20 percent upside in data traffic and Vodafone also just announced a 50 percent increase in data traffic. So if you look at how this works, the smartphone⎯that’s your quarterback. They’re doing a lot of the work. But think about the IOT space, machine to machine, autonomous driving, and security. All of these interesting applications are really emerging through 4G, 5G and higher speed Wi-Fi. It’s creating a new experience.
If we look at what we’re doing with the young people today, the Millennials, I got three kids, they’re all face-timing. It’s just a whole new world. In a way, I think there are some real positive thematic changes that we can capitalize on once we get through this challenge with the pandemic.
5G is Delayed, But a Whole New World is Coming, Says Skyworks Solutions CEO Liam Griffin
China may have finally turned a corner in its fight against the coronavirus, and it has robots to thank for helping it do so.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic China has issued cutting edge technology in an effort to combat the virus. Early on Chinese authorities used AI-driven robots to scold people for being in public without wearing masks, while companies worked on using drones to deliver medicine and supplies to patients without endangering healthy people.
As China has continued to fight the pandemic, robots continue to play a significant role in the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the virus. According to All About Circuits, in addition to the robots scolding people for not wearing masks, authorities are also relying on robots that scan crowds for raised temperatures, one of the earliest symptoms of infection. The robots “include high-resolution cameras and infrared thermometers that are capable of scanning the temperatures of up to 10 people at once who are in a radius of 5 meters. If one of these robots discovers somebody who is not wearing a mask or who has a high temperature, an alert is sent to the authorities.”
China’s success with robots is only possible due to a combination of 5G, AI, edge computing, cloud computing and IoT. The end result are robots capable of interacting with people in a way never before seen. As All About Circuits highlights, that interaction can be eerily lifelike:
“You there! The gentleman wearing a red coat holding an umbrella in your left hand—yes, you. You are not wearing a face mask, please put one on immediately. If you do not have one, come to the police car and we will provide you with one.”
With robots finally beginning to deliver on the promise proponents have long held out, it’s little wonder Microsoft, AT&T, Google Cloud and Verizon are all working hard to capitalize on the emerging technologies.
T-Mobile has announced it is launching its T-Mobile Connect plan March 25, rather than waiting till after the Sprint merger is complete.
As more and more Americans are impacted financially by the coronavirus pandemic, T-Mobile hopes its Connect plan will help people experiencing financial hardships. The plan is the company’s cheapest smartphone plan it has ever unveiled, and offers unlimited talk and text plus 2GB high-speed smartphone data, for $15 plus tax. The plan will also have full access to T-Mobile’s 5G network. For $25 per month plus tax, customers can upgrade to 5GB of monthly data.
“Right now, having a reliable, low-cost connection is absolutely crucial for Americans, and with many facing financial strain, time is of the essence. We knew we couldn’t wait for the merger to finalize to launch T-Mobile Connect, our lowest priced smartphone plan, so we’re rolling out ahead of schedule,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “With T-Mobile Connect, we’re giving those hardest hit an even more affordable way to stay in touch. Half the price of our lowest-ever priced smartphone plan. So everyone can stay connected.”
Kudos to T-Mobile for deploying this plan early. With countless Americans being laid off, or otherwise losing their jobs, this plan may be a life-saver to people trying to stay connected at an affordable price.
VMware is synonymous with virtualization software. Everyone from data centers to end users rely on the company’s software to be able to run multiple operating systems on a single set of hardware.
In an interview with Mad Money’s Jim Cramer, VMware COO Sanjay Poonen commented on the current state of telecommuting during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as VMware’s role in 5G.
On The Impacts of the Coronavirus Pandemic
“This is unprecedented times. We’ve always been a trusted advisor and, as you know, we know a thing or two about virtualization. Our customers run their critical apps on our infrastructure.”
On How Long-Lasting the Impacts Will Be
“I think there’s part of our life, Jim, that’s going to change forever. Behind me I have a saying from Winston Churchill that says, ‘when you’re going through hell, go through it.’ Another one I like from Winston Churchill is ‘never waste a crisis.’
And I think that’s part of our life that’s forever going to change. We will, perhaps, have a place where, for instance, less travel is good for the planet.”
On Collaboration
“We want to make sure that if you are at home, you are productive, you’re able to work continuous, just like it was at work…We were one of the early customers that used Zoom. We love it. We use Slack. We use Microsoft Teams. These are all ways in which you can collaborate.”
On VMware’s Role in 5G and the Network Strain the Pandemic Is Causing
“We have tremendous relationships with the telco players—they are some of our biggest customers—and the cloud infrastructure players. In many cases, we are between software, compute, storage and networking. Software defined architecture is really where the world of 5G is going.
“So a lot of these big companies have started relying on us for that future world of 5G. And software is a lot easier to manage. It’s also just as reliable, more reliable, because you can fix things. And we’re working very closely with our customers. Bandwidth is going to be something we watch very carefully.”
Ericsson and Nokia scored wins with a contract to provide 5G equipment to Taiwan’s largest telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom.
Amid a battle for the future of 5G, the U.S. has accused Huawei of being a threat to national security over allegations the company serves as a spying arm for the Chinese government. U.S. officials have waged a campaign to convince governments not to use the Chinese firm, although that campaign has met with limited success. The pressure on Huawei, however, provides a unique opportunity for Ericsson and Nokia to secure contracts with companies concerned about possible security issues.
In the latest deal, with Chunghwa Telecom, Ericsson’s technology will be used in the core network, as well as radio deployment, while Nokia will also be used for radio deployment.
Max Chen, President of the Mobile Business Group, Chunghwa Telecom, says: “In the process of upgrading to 5G networks, we need to shorten the time it takes to launch new features. Ericsson’s 5G core solution enables our 4G core to flexibly evolve into a shared 4G/5G network. Meanwhile, Ericsson’s Cloud VoLTE solution will allow our customers to enjoy a more convenient and higher quality 4G voice service today as well as 5G voice services in the future.”
Chafic Nassif, President of Ericsson Taiwan says: “Our enhanced 5G platform perfectly suits CHT’s needs to quickly launch new services to the market. This cooperation will serve to not only provide Taiwanese consumers and enterprises with the highest quality communication services but also accelerate the overall progress of 5G development in Taiwan.”
Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “Our technology will assist Chunghwa Telecom in its early launch of 5G services in Taiwan, while also allowing it to explore new revenue generators across consumer and enterprise markets. As one of the pioneering members of Chunghwa Telecom’s Taiwan 5G Alliance, we will jointly promote the digital transformation for public and private sectors to accelerate 5G momentum in Taiwan.”
The three companies demonstrate that, even in one of the most connected countries in the world, 5G can be successfully deployed without reliance on Huawei’s equipment.
Despite U.S. pressure, France has decided to allow Huawei equipment in its 5G networks.
According to sources who spoke exclusively to Reuters, French cybersecurity agency ANSSI will tell wireless providers to what degree they can use Huawei’s equipment.
“They don’t want to ban Huawei, but the principle is: ‘Get them out of the core mobile network’,” one of Reuters’ sources said.
Although not yet official, France’s decision would mirror that made by the UK, where Huawei was permitted in a limited role. The British government decided to allow Huawei equipment to comprise up to 35% of networks, while excluding it from the core network and anywhere near military bases or nuclear sites. The hope is that by keeping the company out of the core network, any security risks can be mitigated.
The decision is another loss in the U.S. campaign to isolate the Chinese firm amid claims it serves as a spying arm for the Chinese government.
RootMetrics released its latest report on the state of 5G and the results are exactly what one would expect.
According to the report, Verizon had the fastest 5G network by a wide margin. Its fastest median speeds were 247 Mbps, while its fastest maximum speeds were 845.7 Mbps. In contrast, Sprint was the next fastest with 136.7 Mbps median and 249.9 Mbps maximum. AT&T clocked in at 47.1 Mbps and 175.2 Mbps, while T-Mobile brought up the rear with 34.0 Mbps and 147.8 Mbps.
Looking at coverage, however, was a very different story. Verizon’s 5G availability in the cities tested was a mere 3.1%. AT&T’s availability was 9.5%, while Sprint’s was 45.7% and T-Mobile led the pack at 57.1%.
Given that Verizon has focused on the high frequency mmWave variety of 5G, the results are not surprising. mmWave offers the fastest speeds possible, but at the cost of extremely limited range and building penetration. In contrast, while T-Mobile has some mmWave 5G, it has been focusing on low-band spectrum that delivers speeds comparable to strong LTE, but offers better range and penetration. Sprint’s 5G is in the mid-range bands, which many experts consider the sweet spot of speed and range. Once the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is complete, T-Mobile will have access to that spectrum to compliment its low-band and mmWave offerings.
While Verizon may be the undisputed speed king, it will need to do something to truly deliver on the promise of 5G, as most customers would probably take slower, more readily available over blazingly fast 3% of the time.
The International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has weighed in on 5G, declaring it safe, while also providing updated guidelines.
Governments, physicians and advocate groups have expressed concern over 5G, especially the high-frequency, mmWave variety. mmWave is the type of 5G that provides the fastest speeds and stands to disrupt the industry. However, it operates at much higher frequencies than previous generations, and it has limited range, requiring towers and base stations to be placed every couple of hundred meters. As a result, there have been concerns that blanketing people in that much high frequency, electromagnetic fields (EMF) could lead to health problems.
Ultimately, the ICNIRP found no evidence that 5G EMF caused illnesses, such as cancer, when EMFs were kept below the guidelines the group last established in 1998. In the report’s (PDF) summary it states:
“The only substantiated adverse health effects caused by exposure to radiofrequency EMFs are nerve stimulation, changes in the permeability of cell membranes, and effects due to temperature elevation. There is no evidence of adverse health effects at exposure levels below the restriction levels in the ICNIRP (1998) guidelines and no evidence of an interaction mechanism that would predict that adverse health effects could occur due to radiofrequency EMF exposure below those restriction levels.”
Although the 1998 guidelines still provide a measure of protection, the group went further, revising them to account for the newer technology.
“When we revised the guidelines, we looked at the adequacy of the ones we published in 1998. We found that the previous ones were conservative in most cases, and they’d still provide adequate protection for current technologies,” said (PDF) ICNIRP Chairman, Dr Eric van Rongen. “However, the new guidelines provide better and more detailed exposure guidance in particular for the higher frequency range, above 6 GHz, which is of importance to 5G and future technologies using these higher frequencies. The most important thing for people to remember is that 5G technologies will not be able to cause harm when these new guidelines are adhered to.”
After a failed attempt to stop the T-Mobile/Sprint merger, the California Attorney General has come to terms with the company and will not pursue an appeal.
Despite the merger receiving approval from both the FCC and the DOJ, California and New York led a coalition of states attempting to block the merger. As the process carried on, severalstates negotiated with the two carriers and won enough concessions and guarantees to drop out of the lawsuit. The suit continued on, however, and stood poised to set a precedent for the role states have in contesting and stopping a decision federal agencies supported.
Ultimately, T-Mobile and Sprint won, but California was still able to get some additional concessions in the aftermath. In the press release, Attorney General Xavier Becerra listed the concessions T-Mobile agreed to, including:
Make low-cost plans available in California for at least 5 years, including a plan offering 2 GB of high-speed data at $15 per month and 5 GB of high speed data at $25 per month;
Extend for at least an additional two years the rate plans offered by T-Mobile pursuant to its earlier FCC commitment, ensuring Californians can retain T-Mobile plans held in February 2019 for a total of five years;
Offer 100 GB of no-cost broadband internet service per year for five years and a free mobile Wi-Fi hotspot device to 10 million qualifying low-income households not currently connected to broadband nationwide, as well as the option to purchase select Wi-Fi enabled tablets at the company’s cost for each qualifying household;
Protect California jobs by offering all California T-Mobile and Sprint retail employees in good standing an offer of substantially similar employment. T-Mobile also commits that three years after the closing date, the total number of new T-Mobile employees will be equal to or greater than the total number of employees of the unmerged Sprint and T-Mobile companies;
Create approximately 1,000 new jobs in California with a customer service center in Kingsburg;
Increase diversity by increasing the participation rate in its employee Diversity and Inclusion program to 60 percent participation within three years; and
Reimburse California and other coalition states up to $15 million for the costs of the investigation and litigation challenging the merger.
“Our coalition vigorously challenged the T-Mobile/Sprint telecom merger over concerns that it would thwart competition and leave consumers with higher prices,” said Attorney General Becerra. “We took our case to court to ensure that, no matter its outcome, we’d protect innovation and fair prices. Though the district court approved the merger, its decision also made clear to companies that local markets matter in assessing the competitive impact of a merger and that no one should underestimate the role of state enforcers. Most importantly, today’s settlement locks in new jobs and protections for vulnerable consumers, and it extends access to telecom services for our most underserved and rural communities.”
With an appeal by California off the table, the two companies should be moving full speed ahead to close the deal.
Hewlett Packer Enterprise (HPE) has announced the availability of an as-a-service 5G portfolio to help telecom companies roll out 5G networks.
According to the company, by making its portfolio of hardware and software solutions available as-a-service, it will help telcos rapidly deploy 5G networks and start turning a profit, by reducing the initial cost. The “edge-to-cloud, platform as-a-service strategy is uniquely positioned to help telcos capitalize on the 5G opportunity, by leveraging a cloud-native software stack for 5G core, optimized telco core and edge infrastructure blueprints, and Wi-Fi 6 enabled services. Built on open and interoperable platforms combined with carrier grade infrastructure and modular software components, the portfolio of offerings allows telcos to incorporate more automation, become more agile, and deploy new 5G services faster across the telco core, the telco edge and into the enterprise.”
With the increased emphasis on edge computing and the potential of 5G networks, HPE’s solution is designed to overcome some of the problems with previous generations of network equipment, especially those posed by proprietary equipment. By basing its solution on open source technology, HPE’s 5G portfolio will help telcos more fully realize the potential of the next generation network.
“Openness is essential to the evolutionary nature of 5G and with HPE 5G Core Stack telcos can reduce operational costs, deploy features faster and keep themselves open to multiple networks and technologies while avoiding being locked-in to a single vendor approach,” said Phil Mottram, vice president and general manager of the Communications and Media Solutions business unit at HPE. “HPE has one of the broadest 5G portfolios in the market and is uniquely positioned to help telcos build an open multi-vendor 5G core, optimize the edge with vRAN, and deliver connectivity and new compute services to the enterprise using MEC and Wi-Fi 6.”
Following the UK’s decision to include Huawei in its 5G networks in a limited role, a group of Tory MPs tried to pass an amendment to stop the firm’s involvement.
According to a BBC report, former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith proposed the amendment to the Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, an amendment that would have required “high-risk vendors” to be banned from the country’s 5G architecture by the end of 2022. The amendment was defeated by 24 votes, but it signals that Prime Minister Johnson’s own party is divided on the decision.
Of the Five Eyes countries—the U.S., UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada—that share intelligence, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand have already banned the Chinese firm. Canada is still undecided, making the U.K. the only country that has welcomed its involvement, albeit in a limited role. As part of the decision to allow Huawei’s participation, the government agreed to limit it to 35% of network equipment and restrict it from the core network, or from being installed near military bases or nuclear sites.
If this recent vote was any indication, the company’s role in the UK’s future networks is far from resolved.
Verizon Business and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are teaming up to deliver 5G applications.
The PNNL tackles some of the world’s biggest challenges, including energy efficiency, scientific discovery and national security. To aid in that goal, Verizon will be deploying its 5G Ultra Wideband at the PNNL’s Richmond, Washington facility. Together, the organizations will develop 5G applications for use in everything, ranging from first responders to chemistry to earth sciences research.
Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband promises speeds measured in gigabits rather than megabits, along with sub-millisecond lag. That performance will open a world of new possibilities for PNNL, as it researches artificial intelligence, machine learning, AR/VR and more.
“With Verizon, we plan to explore how cybersecurity will underpin 5G for critical infrastructure and how 5G will drive transformation in the protection of endpoint devices, advancement of artificial intelligence, the science behind autonomous systems and related internet of things applications,” said Scott Godwin, general manager of Corporate Partnerships & Alliances at PNNL. “This partnership fits squarely with PNNL’s commitment to explore the capability of new science and technology to further safety and security worldwide.”
“Our 5G Ultra Wideband network is built to support transformational innovations and solutions across all industries,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “There’s no doubt 5G’s increased data bandwidth and super-low lag will help play a critical role in evolving response connectivity and mission operations for first responders. We’ve seen exciting use cases come out of our 5G First Responder Lab and are thrilled to see the new applications that will arise from our work with PNNL.”
Google Cloud and AT&T have announced a partnership between the two companies to help enterprises take advantage of 5G and edge computing.
Edge computing moves processes closer to where data is being collected and used, rather than sending it to a data center for processing. Thanks to 5G, edge computing stands to usher in a whole new era of on or near-premise computing, significantly speeding up the speed and latency of critical and intensive operations.
The partnership will allow Google Cloud to deliver technologies and capabilities to companies using AT&T’s 5G network. These technologies include artificial intelligence, machine learning, data and analytics, Kubernetes and more.
“We are delighted to work with AT&T, a 5G leader, to help enterprises and the industry harness the potential of 5G,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. “Our co-innovation with AT&T aims to bring a multitude of 5G and Edge Computing solutions to address a diversity of use cases, driving real business value in industries like retail, manufacturing, gaming and more. We are deeply committed to helping drive positive business outcomes for enterprises by working with AT&T on 5G.”
“We’re working with Google Cloud to deliver the next generation of cloud services,” said Mo Katibeh, EVP and CMO, AT&T Business. “Combining AT&T’s network edge, including 5G, with Google Cloud’s edge compute technologies can unlock the cloud’s true potential. This work is bringing us closer to a reality where cloud and edge technologies give businesses the tools to create a whole new world of experiences for their customers.”
The announcement is another in a string of wins for Google Cloud as it works to take on AWS and Microsoft.
Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Navdeep Bains, has said the country will not be pressured into make a decision on Huawei.
Canada is part of the Five Eyes group of countries that work closely on intelligence. Of the group, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand have banned Huawei from their 5G networks, while the UK has opted to include the Chinese firm in a limited role. Canada has yet to decide, but is warning the country must do what is best for itself.
According to Bloomberg, Bains told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. “We will make sure that we proceed in a manner that’s in our national interest. We won’t get bullied by any other jurisdictions.”
“Countries have raised their concerns. We’re engaged with our Five Eyes partners. We know that this is a very important issue,” he added. “But we will make a decision that makes sense for Canadians and protects Canadians.”
The U.S. has been pressuring its allies, both in the Five Eyes and EU, to ban Huawei. It’s safe to say the U.S. certainly wants to win over its closest ally geographically but, based on Bains’ remarks, that may be easier said than done.
Huawei routers have once again taken top honors in the 2019 global carrier market, according to research by Omdia.
Despite an aggressive campaign by the U.S. government to limit Huawei’s global dominance, the company continues to gain traction. Omdia’s latest report has the Chinese telecoms company maintaining the lead it first acquired in 2018.
“Huawei routers maintained their leading position in 2019, following their rise to the top of the carrier market in 2018,” says the company. “In the backbone router market, Huawei routers have maintained their top position for three consecutive years. Moreover, this is the first time that Huawei routers took top spot in the metro router market, making Huawei routers No. 1 in the overall global carrier market as well as niche markets.”
Huawei goes on to tout its customer-centric philosophy as one of the key contributors to its dominance, as well as its technological innovations.
“Huawei’s growing market share has been possible because of the trust that both customers and the industry alike have in Huawei,” the company adds.
A growing market share, perceived dominance, scalability and aggressive price points are among the many reasons the U.S. campaign against the company has met with only limited success.
Following the UK’s decision to include Huawei in their 5G networks, U.S. senators are urging the House of Commons to reconsider.
A bipartisan group of 20 senators have penned a letter to the House of Commons to express “significant concern with the Government of the United Kingdom’s recent decision to allow Huawei Technologies in its 5G network infrastructure. Given the significant security, privacy, and economic threats posed by Huawei, we strongly urge the United Kingdom to revisit its recent decision, take steps to mitigate the risks of Huawei, and work in close partnership with the U.S. on such efforts going forward.”
The senators go on to point out that the UK has already “warned that Huawei’s telecommunications equipment raises ‘significant’ security issues,” and highlights the Chinese government’s track record of compelling Chinese companies to cooperate with its intelligence-gathering efforts.
The letter concludes by thanking the House of Commons for its “consideration of this critical issue, as well as for the trusted partnership between our governments which we remain committed to uphold.”
The senators’ letter is the latest in efforts by U.S. officials to isolate Huawei and restrict its growth worldwide. Whether such efforts will succeed remains to be seen.
Nokia has announced a change in CEO and President, with Pekka Lundmark replacing Rajeev Suri.
Nokia has been struggling to find its footing in the 5G marketplace, as it has been eclipsed by rivals Ericsson and Huawei. To make matters worse for the company, Huawei has been dealing with a U.S. ban and various European countries that are either undecided or have only agreed to use Huawei in a limited role. With Huawei’s troubles, Nokia had a prime opportunity to jump out to an early lead in the 5G market, but has failed to do so. Nokia’s troubles have even sparked discussion the company could sell off some of its assets, or even try to merge with Ericsson.
By tapping Lundmark as the new CEO, Nokia is bringing back an executive with a long history with the company, likely in the hopes that someone with Lundmark’s background and understanding of the company’s DNA will help return it to its former glory. From 1990 to 2000, Lundmark held multiple positions, including Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Nokia Networks.
“With the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent behind us and the world of 5G in front of us, I am pleased that Pekka has agreed to join Nokia,” said Risto Siilasmaa, Nokia Board Chair. “He has a record of leadership and shareholder value creation at large business-to-business companies; deep experience in telecommunications networks, industrial digitization, and key markets such as the United States and China; and a focus on strategic clarity, operational excellence and strong financial performance.”
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Nokia, an extraordinary company that has so much potential and so many talented people,” said Lundmark. “Together we can create shareholder value by delivering on Nokia’s mission to create the technology to connect the world. I am confident that the company is well-positioned for the 5G era and it is my goal to ensure that we meet our commitments to our customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders. Strong values, leading innovation and unflinching commitment to our customers have always been core to Nokia and I want to put this even more at our center as we move forward.”
