Too early to tell who will emerge as 5G winner as tech innovation still to unfold, Cisco executive says
- “There is no one vendor, company, country or continent that is going to own and drive 5G”, says Guy Diedrich, global innovation officer at Cisco
Emerging economies should not sit out investing in 5G just because the US and China are competing head on in the next-generation mobile network technology, as the ultrafast telecoms infrastructure will bring benefits to all, according to a Cisco executive.
“[Smaller countries] sometimes don’t feel like they can win. But emerging economies can benefit … they [should] invest and compete,” Guy Diedrich, global innovation officer at Cisco, said in an interview last week in Hong Kong. “We have to change the notion that 5G is a sprint and only one winner is going to emerge.”
China and the US have in recent months clashed over Huawei, the largest telecommunications gear supplier in the world that currently also holds the largest number of 5G essential patents, as both countries compete for 5G supremacy.
The US has said that using Huawei’s telecommunications equipment poses security risks as the equipment could be used for Chinese intelligence activities – an accusation that Huawei has vehemently denied. Huawei has since been put on a trade blacklist that prevents it from doing business with US companies as the US continues to dissuade its allies from using Huawei’s equipment.
China has also placed much focus on being the leader in 5G technologies, as it sees 5G as its opportunity to lead in the development of wireless communications technology, a sector previously dominated by the US and Europe. Having the technology and influence in helping to set 5G standards could also translate to large economic benefits for China.