<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-has-no-evidence-of-backdoor-spying-in-5g-technology-huawei-chairman-199966&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi8ksnCgtThAhWHPo8KHc49AWIQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1r-cOC1BIIrlXmesaFSf5P">Huawei </a>Technologies, one of the world's biggest smartphone makers, has not had talks with Apple Inc about supplying it with 5G chipsets, Rotating Chairman Ken Hu said on Tuesday.

Hu made the remark at the company's annual global analyst summit at its headquarters in Shenzhen in southern China. His comment comes after founder Ren Zhengfei told CNBC that Huawei was "open" to selling its fifth generation (5G) chips to Apple.

"We have not had discussions with Apple on this issue," Hu said, reiterating that Huawei does not plan to become a chipset vendor at this time. He also said he looked forward to Apple's competition in the 5G phone market.

Hu said Huawei had secured 40 commercial contracts to build 5G telecommunications infrastructure as at the end of March, up from a previously disclosed tally of more than 30.

Huawei's outlook has come under a cloud over the past year with the United States voicing concerns that its equipment could be used by the Chinese government for espionage. Washington has also urged allies to ban Huawei from building 5G mobile networks.

Huawei has dismissed the security concerns as unfounded.

Huawei is also the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker. Its in-house semiconductor arm, HiSilicon, also designs chipsets that are used in its products.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with CNBC this week that the company is "open to" selling its 5G modem chips to Apple, without elaborating.

His comments came after repeated denials from Huawei that it had any intention of becoming a chip vendor to compete against the likes of Qualcomm and Intel.

Huawei in January launched its 5G modem Balong 5000, which it said is the industry's most powerful, as well as a 5G base station chipset dubbed Tiangang.

The company last month reported a 25 per cent rise in net profit in 2018 to 59.3 billion yuan ($9 billion), even as revenue from its network equipment business fell 1.3 per cent to 294 billion yuan due to telecommunications industry investment cycles.

($1 = 6.7086 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Huawei Technologies, one of the world's biggest smartphone makers, has not had talks with Apple Inc about supplying it with 5G chipsets, Rotating Chairman Ken Hu said on Tuesday.

Huawei Technologies, one of the world's biggest smartphone makers, has not had talks with Apple Inc about supplying it with 5G chipsets, Rotating Chairman Ken Hu said on Tuesday. Hu made the remark at the company's annual global analyst summit at its headquarters in Shenzhen in southern China. His comment comes after founder Ren Zhengfei told CNBC that Huawei was "open" to selling its fifth generation (5G) chips to Apple. "We have not had discussions with Apple on this issue," Hu said, reiterating that Huawei does not plan to become a chipset vendor at this time. He also said he looked forward to Apple's competition in the 5G phone market. Hu said Huawei had secured 40 commercial contracts to build 5G telecommunications infrastructure as at the end of March, up from a previously disclosed tally of more than 30. Huawei's outlook has come under a cloud over the past year with the United States voicing concerns that its equipment could be used by the Chinese government for espionage. Washington has also urged allies to ban Huawei from building 5G mobile networks. Huawei has dismissed the security concerns as unfounded. Huawei is also the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker. Its in-house semiconductor arm, HiSilicon, also designs chipsets that are used in its products. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with CNBC this week that the company is "open to" selling its 5G modem chips to Apple, without elaborating. His comments came after repeated denials from Huawei that it had any intention of becoming a chip vendor to compete against the likes of Qualcomm and Intel. Huawei in January launched its 5G modem Balong 5000, which it said is the industry's most powerful, as well as a 5G base station chipset dubbed Tiangang. The company last month reported a 25 per cent rise in net profit in 2018 to 59.3 billion yuan ($9 billion), even as revenue from its network equipment business fell 1.3 per cent to 294 billion yuan due to telecommunications industry investment cycles. ($1 = 6.7086 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Huawei says not discussed 5G chipsets with Apple - chairman

Samsung Electronics on Friday released the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone with built-in fifth-generation communications technology, as South Korea seeks to build a lead in the transformative system.

On Wednesday the South became the first country to commercially launch nationwide 5G services, with three superfast networks going live offering data speeds that allow users to download entire movies in less than a second.&nbsp;

Hours later US giant Verizon began commercial services in Chicago and Minneapolis, after rival AT&amp;T made a 5G-based system available to selected users in parts of 12 cities in December.

South Korea's three mobile carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- held launch events across Seoul for the Galaxy S10, whose base version costs 1.39 million won ($1,200).

Interactive virtual-reality displays and robot demonstrations were on show to tout the capabilities of the latest iteration of mobile internet speed, and new users were excited about the possibilities, especially live streaming of sports games and university lectures.&nbsp;

"I watch a lot of videos often, movies and lectures," said buyer Shim Ji-hye, 38. "I hope faster speeds will help me manage my time better."

Another user said he was most excited about virtual reality content -- which includes games and even "celebrity VR dating" apps according to the country's mobile carriers.&nbsp;

With 5G, said researcher Lee Sang-yoon, VR content "can be enjoyed in real time with no delay... I'll be able to enjoy it in better resolution and speed".

Before Friday's roll-out of the Samsung phone, the 5G service had been restricted to a handful of specially selected users in South Korea.&nbsp;

Rival manufacturer LG is due to launch its V50 ThinQ, another 5G phone, in the South later this month, while in the US, Verizon's network works with Lenovo's Moto Z3 smartphone fitted with a special accessory.

Commercialising 5G gives South Korea the chance to build around the technology, which is crucial for the future development of devices such as autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things.

It is expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034, according to the London-based Global System for Mobile Communications, an industry alliance.

The implications of the new technology have pitted Washington against Beijing -- whose firms dominate 5G technology -- in an increasingly bitter standoff.

The US has pressed its allies and major economies to avoid 5G solutions from Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei, citing security risks that technological backdoors could give Beijing access to 5G-connected utilities and other components.

Chinese entities own a total of 3,400 5G patents -- more than a third of the total, according to data analysis firm IPlytics -- with 1,529 of those registered by Huawei.

South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents, while US firms have 1,368 together.

Neither KT nor SK Telecom use Huawei technology in their 5G networks, but it is a supplier to LG UPlus, the companies told AFP.

Samsung Electronics on Friday released the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone with built-in fifth-generation communications technology, as South Korea seeks to build a lead in the transformative system.

Samsung Electronics on Friday released the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone with built-in fifth-generation communications technology, as South Korea seeks to build a lead in the transformative system. On Wednesday the South became the first country to commercially launch nationwide 5G services, with three superfast networks going live offering data speeds that allow users to download entire movies in less than a second. Hours later US giant Verizon began commercial services in Chicago and Minneapolis, after rival AT&T made a 5G-based system available to selected users in parts of 12 cities in December. South Korea's three mobile carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- held launch events across Seoul for the Galaxy S10, whose base version costs 1.39 million won ($1,200). Interactive virtual-reality displays and robot demonstrations were on show to tout the capabilities of the latest iteration of mobile internet speed, and new users were excited about the possibilities, especially live streaming of sports games and university lectures. "I watch a lot of videos often, movies and lectures," said buyer Shim Ji-hye, 38. "I hope faster speeds will help me manage my time better." Another user said he was most excited about virtual reality content -- which includes games and even "celebrity VR dating" apps according to the country's mobile carriers. With 5G, said researcher Lee Sang-yoon, VR content "can be enjoyed in real time with no delay... I'll be able to enjoy it in better resolution and speed". Before Friday's roll-out of the Samsung phone, the 5G service had been restricted to a handful of specially selected users in South Korea. Rival manufacturer LG is due to launch its V50 ThinQ, another 5G phone, in the South later this month, while in the US, Verizon's network works with Lenovo's Moto Z3 smartphone fitted with a special accessory. Commercialising 5G gives South Korea the chance to build around the technology, which is crucial for the future development of devices such as autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things. It is expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034, according to the London-based Global System for Mobile Communications, an industry alliance. The implications of the new technology have pitted Washington against Beijing -- whose firms dominate 5G technology -- in an increasingly bitter standoff. The US has pressed its allies and major economies to avoid 5G solutions from Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei, citing security risks that technological backdoors could give Beijing access to 5G-connected utilities and other components. Chinese entities own a total of 3,400 5G patents -- more than a third of the total, according to data analysis firm IPlytics -- with 1,529 of those registered by Huawei. South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents, while US firms have 1,368 together. Neither KT nor SK Telecom use Huawei technology in their 5G networks, but it is a supplier to LG UPlus, the companies told AFP.

World's first 5G phone released in South Korea

South Korea will be launching&nbsp;the world’s first fully-fledged 5G mobile networks on Friday, a transformational leap that already has superpowers sparring for control of innovation that could potentially change the day-to-day lives of billions of people.

The superfast communications heralded by fifth-generation wireless technology will ultimately underpin everything from toasters to telephones; from electric cars to power grids.

But while the South has won the race to be first to provide the user experience, that is only one part of a wider battle that has pitted the United States against China and ensnared giants including Huawei.

Hyper-wired South Korea has long had a reputation for technical prowess, and Seoul has made the 5G rollout a priority as it seeks to stimulate stuttering economic growth.

The system will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity -- 20 times faster than the existing 4G -- allowing users to download entire movies in less than a second.

In the same way that 3G enabled widespread mobile web access and 4G made new applications work ranging from social media to Uber, 5G will herald a new level of connectivity, empowered by speed.

It is crucial for the future development of devices ranging from self-driving vehicles that send data traffic to one another in real time, industrial robots, drones and other elements of the Internet of Things.

That makes it a vital part of the infrastructure of tomorrow, and the 5G standard is expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034, according to the London-based Global System for Mobile Communications, an industry alliance.

'One million devices'&nbsp;

But the implications have pitted Washington against Beijing in an increasingly bitter standoff.

The US has pressed its allies and major economies to avoid 5G solutions from Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei, citing security risks that technological backdoors could give Beijing access to 5G-connected utilities and other components.

But Chinese firms dominate 5G technology.

Huawei, the global leader, has registered 1,529 5G patents, according to data analysis firm IPlytics.

Combined with manufacturers ZTE and Oppo, plus the China Academy of Telecommunications Technology, Chinese entities own a total of 3,400 patents, it says -- more than a third of the total. &nbsp;&nbsp;

South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents.

In contrast, US firms have 1,368 altogether, IPlytics said -- 29 fewer than Finland's Nokia alone.

All three of South Korea's mobile networks -- KT, SK Telecom and LG UPlus go live with their 5G services.

"5G's hyper speed can connect one million devices within a one square kilometre zone simultaneously," KT said in a report. &nbsp;

On the same day, Samsung Electronics will release the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone using the tech, with rival LG following with the V50s two weeks later.

Cost barrier&nbsp;

More than three million South Koreans will switch to 5G by the end of this year, predicted KT vice-president Lee Pil-Jae.

Until now, no mobile networks have offered nationwide 5G access. In the US, hotspots in a few selected cities have offered 5G speeds but over wifi only, while Qatari firm Ooredoo says it offers 5G services in and around Doha but does not have devices available to use them.

US network carrier Verizon will launch fifth-generation services for mobile users in Chicago and Minneapolis next week, with more than 30 cities due to follow this year.&nbsp;

Japan is also expected to roll out a limited deployment in 2019 before full services start in time for next year's Tokyo Olympics.&nbsp;

But the cost is likely to be a barrier for user uptake initially, analysts say: the cheapest version of the new Galaxy handset will be 1.39 million won ($1,200).

"While there are many cheap 4G smartphones under $300, Samsung's 5G phones are well over $1,000, which could be a major minus point for cost-savvy consumers," a KT representative told AFP.&nbsp;

None of South Korea's three network operators would say how much they have invested in 5G -- but Seoul's economy minister Hong Nam-ki put it at at least $2.6 billion this year alone.

"If 5G is fully implemented," he said, "it will greatly improve people's lives".

South Korea will be launching the world’s first fully-fledged 5G mobile networks on Friday, a transformational leap that already has superpowers sparring for control of innovation that could potentially change the day-to-day lives of billions of people.

South Korea will be launching the world’s first fully-fledged 5G mobile networks on Friday, a transformational leap that already has superpowers sparring for control of innovation that could potentially change the day-to-day lives of billions of people. The superfast communications heralded by fifth-generation wireless technology will ultimately underpin everything from toasters to telephones; from electric cars to power grids. But while the South has won the race to be first to provide the user experience, that is only one part of a wider battle that has pitted the United States against China and ensnared giants including Huawei. Hyper-wired South Korea has long had a reputation for technical prowess, and Seoul has made the 5G rollout a priority as it seeks to stimulate stuttering economic growth. The system will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity -- 20 times faster than the existing 4G -- allowing users to download entire movies in less than a second. In the same way that 3G enabled widespread mobile web access and 4G made new applications work ranging from social media to Uber, 5G will herald a new level of connectivity, empowered by speed. It is crucial for the future development of devices ranging from self-driving vehicles that send data traffic to one another in real time, industrial robots, drones and other elements of the Internet of Things. That makes it a vital part of the infrastructure of tomorrow, and the 5G standard is expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034, according to the London-based Global System for Mobile Communications, an industry alliance. 'One million devices' But the implications have pitted Washington against Beijing in an increasingly bitter standoff. The US has pressed its allies and major economies to avoid 5G solutions from Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei, citing security risks that technological backdoors could give Beijing access to 5G-connected utilities and other components. But Chinese firms dominate 5G technology. Huawei, the global leader, has registered 1,529 5G patents, according to data analysis firm IPlytics. Combined with manufacturers ZTE and Oppo, plus the China Academy of Telecommunications Technology, Chinese entities own a total of 3,400 patents, it says -- more than a third of the total. South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents. In contrast, US firms have 1,368 altogether, IPlytics said -- 29 fewer than Finland's Nokia alone. All three of South Korea's mobile networks -- KT, SK Telecom and LG UPlus go live with their 5G services. "5G's hyper speed can connect one million devices within a one square kilometre zone simultaneously," KT said in a report. On the same day, Samsung Electronics will release the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone using the tech, with rival LG following with the V50s two weeks later. Cost barrier More than three million South Koreans will switch to 5G by the end of this year, predicted KT vice-president Lee Pil-Jae. Until now, no mobile networks have offered nationwide 5G access. In the US, hotspots in a few selected cities have offered 5G speeds but over wifi only, while Qatari firm Ooredoo says it offers 5G services in and around Doha but does not have devices available to use them. US network carrier Verizon will launch fifth-generation services for mobile users in Chicago and Minneapolis next week, with more than 30 cities due to follow this year. Japan is also expected to roll out a limited deployment in 2019 before full services start in time for next year's Tokyo Olympics. But the cost is likely to be a barrier for user uptake initially, analysts say: the cheapest version of the new Galaxy handset will be 1.39 million won ($1,200). "While there are many cheap 4G smartphones under $300, Samsung's 5G phones are well over $1,000, which could be a major minus point for cost-savvy consumers," a KT representative told AFP. None of South Korea's three network operators would say how much they have invested in 5G -- but Seoul's economy minister Hong Nam-ki put it at at least $2.6 billion this year alone. "If 5G is fully implemented," he said, "it will greatly improve people's lives".

South Korea to launch world's first national 5G network

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday played up her country's "important" ties with China despite tensions stemming from security concerns over Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

Ardern made the remarks as she met with Premier Li Keqiang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on her first trip abroad since the Christchurch mosque attack.

The trip is also Ardern's first trip to China since she was elected in late 2017 -- an unusually long wait for the leader of a nation that signed a pioneering free-trade deal with Beijing in 2008.

Relations between Beijing and Wellington have been strained in recent months after New Zealand's intelligence agency last November halted plans for Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei to participate in a proposed 5G network, citing "significant security risks".

But Ardern Monday said her visit to Beijing aims to "underline the importance" she placed on ties with China -- New Zealand's largest trading partner.

"It is one of our most important and far-reaching relationships," she said.

Ardern had repeatedly played down the spat with Huawei.&nbsp;

Last month she said New Zealand was in talks to minimise the security risks posed by using the Chinese telecom giant's equipment in 5G infrastructure, raising the prospect of a compromise on the issue.

Li urged both sides to aspire for the "greatest common denominator" and that "when each side's businesses invest in each other's businesses, they can enjoy a fair, transparent, convenient environment".

Ardern called for upgrading New Zealand's free trade agreement with China and said the country "welcomed high-quality foreign investment", her office said in a statement after the meeting.&nbsp;

The two leaders also discussed ways for New Zealand to participate in Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, a global trade infrastructure programme that includes Pacific island nations that traditionally fell under the spheres of influence of Canberra and Wellington.

Ardern will also hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday afternoon before returning home the next day.

Her short visit to China comes in the wake of a mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch last month that left 50 people dead and prompted her to overhaul New Zealand's gun laws.&nbsp;

A longer trip had been planned, was but shortened to just a day following the attack.&nbsp;

Li expressed condolences for those killed in the shooting.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday played up her country's "important" ties with China despite tensions stemming from security concerns over Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday played up her country's "important" ties with China despite tensions stemming from security concerns over Chinese telecom giant Huawei. Ardern made the remarks as she met with Premier Li Keqiang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on her first trip abroad since the Christchurch mosque attack. The trip is also Ardern's first trip to China since she was elected in late 2017 -- an unusually long wait for the leader of a nation that signed a pioneering free-trade deal with Beijing in 2008. Relations between Beijing and Wellington have been strained in recent months after New Zealand's intelligence agency last November halted plans for Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei to participate in a proposed 5G network, citing "significant security risks". But Ardern Monday said her visit to Beijing aims to "underline the importance" she placed on ties with China -- New Zealand's largest trading partner. "It is one of our most important and far-reaching relationships," she said. Ardern had repeatedly played down the spat with Huawei. Last month she said New Zealand was in talks to minimise the security risks posed by using the Chinese telecom giant's equipment in 5G infrastructure, raising the prospect of a compromise on the issue. Li urged both sides to aspire for the "greatest common denominator" and that "when each side's businesses invest in each other's businesses, they can enjoy a fair, transparent, convenient environment". Ardern called for upgrading New Zealand's free trade agreement with China and said the country "welcomed high-quality foreign investment", her office said in a statement after the meeting. The two leaders also discussed ways for New Zealand to participate in Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, a global trade infrastructure programme that includes Pacific island nations that traditionally fell under the spheres of influence of Canberra and Wellington. Ardern will also hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday afternoon before returning home the next day. Her short visit to China comes in the wake of a mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch last month that left 50 people dead and prompted her to overhaul New Zealand's gun laws. A longer trip had been planned, was but shortened to just a day following the attack. Li expressed condolences for those killed in the shooting.

New Zealand PM touts 'important' China ties amid Huawei spat

Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off a whistlestop European tour in Rome on Friday amid growing Western unease over Italy joining the ever-expanding Asian giant's new Silk Road project.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is to sign a memorandum of understanding with Xi on Saturday for Italy to join the $1 trillion Belt and Road Initiative, the first G7 member to do so, despite apparent divisions within the ruling coalition.

Italy on Friday rolled out the red carpet for Xi, who met his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella amid great pomp, and was due to head to parliament in the afternoon.

Around 1,000 extra police have been deployed around Rome for the state visit before Xi heads to Palermo, where his singer wife Peng Liyuan reportedly wants to see the Teatro Massimo opera house.&nbsp;

In what some perceived as a snub, Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said he would not attend Saturday's state dinner for Xi at Mattarella's Quirinal Palace.

Salvini has said Italy would be "no-one's colony" and urged caution about using telecom giant Huawei's next-generation 5G mobile technology, while coalition partner Luigi Di Maio is keener for Chinese partnerships.

The United States has warned European allies that Huawei could use its 5G technology as a "backdoor" for spying, while China has lashed out at "immoral" attacks.

NATO member Italy's plan to join China's ambitious maritime, rail and road venture, which critics warn mainly benefits Chinese firms, has raised eyebrows among Western allies and within Italy.

"Today we say 'Italy first' in trade relations, while remaining US allies, in NATO and in the EU," Deputy Prime Minister Di Maio of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement said on the sidelines of a China-Italy business forum on Friday.

Allies' concerns about 5G could be allayed by strengthening the Italian government's so-called 'golden powers' to keep control of strategic industries and infrastructure, Di Maio said.

- 'Trojan horse' - 
Debt-ridden Italy is technically in recession and keen to have more business with China.

White House official Garrett Marquis last week tweeted that there was "no need" for Italy to endorse "China's infrastructure vanity project".

Xi's visit comes a week after the European Union released a 10-point plan outlining a shift to more assertive relations with Beijing, warning that China was a "rival" to the bloc as well as its biggest trading partner.

France on Thursday announced that President Emmanuel Macron will hold trade and climate talks on Tuesday with Xi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

As he arrived for the EU summit in Brussels, Macron welcomed what he called Europe's "awakening" to the challenge posed by China.

But his office struck a more conciliatory tone in announcing Tuesday's talks, saying it was an opportunity to explain Europe's strategy and seek "points of convergence between Europe and China".

The meeting comes ahead of a China-EU summit in Brussels next month, as the bloc struggles to forge Europe-wide China policies.

- Strategic ports - 
Beijing is particularly interested in investing in Italian ports to help funnel its products into Europe, amid warnings that Rome must avoid the model of the Greek port of Piraeus, which was taken over by Chinese shipping giant Cosco in 2016.

Supporters of the non-binding MoU said that it will lead to China complying with European Union standards, including on the environment and intellectual property, and cannot be compared to debt-inducing deals Beijing has signed with developing countries.

Despite apparent warming ties, Xi is not expected to meet Pope Francis.&nbsp;

The Vatican has diplomatic relations with Taiwan and not Beijing, so the encounter would be unlikely despite an agreement on appointing bishops in China signed last year.

Xi heads to Monaco on Sunday and then on to France to cap his European tour.

Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off a whistlestop European tour in Rome on Friday amid growing Western unease over Italy joining the ever-expanding Asian giant's new Silk Road project.

Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off a whistlestop European tour in Rome on Friday amid growing Western unease over Italy joining the ever-expanding Asian giant's new Silk Road project. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is to sign a memorandum of understanding with Xi on Saturday for Italy to join the $1 trillion Belt and Road Initiative, the first G7 member to do so, despite apparent divisions within the ruling coalition. Italy on Friday rolled out the red carpet for Xi, who met his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella amid great pomp, and was due to head to parliament in the afternoon. Around 1,000 extra police have been deployed around Rome for the state visit before Xi heads to Palermo, where his singer wife Peng Liyuan reportedly wants to see the Teatro Massimo opera house. In what some perceived as a snub, Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said he would not attend Saturday's state dinner for Xi at Mattarella's Quirinal Palace. Salvini has said Italy would be "no-one's colony" and urged caution about using telecom giant Huawei's next-generation 5G mobile technology, while coalition partner Luigi Di Maio is keener for Chinese partnerships. The United States has warned European allies that Huawei could use its 5G technology as a "backdoor" for spying, while China has lashed out at "immoral" attacks. NATO member Italy's plan to join China's ambitious maritime, rail and road venture, which critics warn mainly benefits Chinese firms, has raised eyebrows among Western allies and within Italy. "Today we say 'Italy first' in trade relations, while remaining US allies, in NATO and in the EU," Deputy Prime Minister Di Maio of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement said on the sidelines of a China-Italy business forum on Friday. Allies' concerns about 5G could be allayed by strengthening the Italian government's so-called 'golden powers' to keep control of strategic industries and infrastructure, Di Maio said. - 'Trojan horse' - Debt-ridden Italy is technically in recession and keen to have more business with China. White House official Garrett Marquis last week tweeted that there was "no need" for Italy to endorse "China's infrastructure vanity project". Xi's visit comes a week after the European Union released a 10-point plan outlining a shift to more assertive relations with Beijing, warning that China was a "rival" to the bloc as well as its biggest trading partner. France on Thursday announced that President Emmanuel Macron will hold trade and climate talks on Tuesday with Xi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. As he arrived for the EU summit in Brussels, Macron welcomed what he called Europe's "awakening" to the challenge posed by China. But his office struck a more conciliatory tone in announcing Tuesday's talks, saying it was an opportunity to explain Europe's strategy and seek "points of convergence between Europe and China". The meeting comes ahead of a China-EU summit in Brussels next month, as the bloc struggles to forge Europe-wide China policies. - Strategic ports - Beijing is particularly interested in investing in Italian ports to help funnel its products into Europe, amid warnings that Rome must avoid the model of the Greek port of Piraeus, which was taken over by Chinese shipping giant Cosco in 2016. Supporters of the non-binding MoU said that it will lead to China complying with European Union standards, including on the environment and intellectual property, and cannot be compared to debt-inducing deals Beijing has signed with developing countries. Despite apparent warming ties, Xi is not expected to meet Pope Francis. The Vatican has diplomatic relations with Taiwan and not Beijing, so the encounter would be unlikely despite an agreement on appointing bishops in China signed last year. Xi heads to Monaco on Sunday and then on to France to cap his European tour.

China's new Silk Road gets bumpy as Xi Jinping visits Italy

Chinese telecom giant Huawei will give foreign media a peek into its headquarters Wednesday as the normally secretive company steps up a counter-offensive against US warnings that it could be used by Beijing for espionage and sabotage.

Huawei has kicked off the year with an aggressive PR campaign that has seen reclusive founder Ren Zhengfei suddenly give a series of interviews with foreign media to deny the company was a threat, while executives have dismissed the US warnings as baseless.

The charm offensive reaches another gear Wednesday when Huawei rolls out the media welcome mat at its headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen.

Foreign journalist visits are hardly routine at a headquarters where high-tech labs and manufacturing facilities employ 60,000 people, but these are unusual times for the company.

The United States says Huawei equipment could be manipulated by China's Communist government to spy on other countries and disrupt critical communications.

Washington is urging governments to shun the company just as the world readies for the advent of ultra-fast 5G telecommunications, an advancement that Huawei was expected to lead and which will allow widespread adoption of next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence.

Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, Ren's daughter, also faces a court hearing on Wednesday in Vancouver on a US extradition request. Two Canadians have been detained in China in suspected retaliation over her arrest.

The US Justice Department accuses Huawei and Meng of circumventing US sanctions against Iran. Two affiliates also have been charged with stealing trade secrets from telecommunications group T-Mobile.

Wolf ethos&nbsp;

Founded by Ren in 1987, Huawei has espoused a relentless "wolf" ethos that executives say fuelled its rise to become the world leader in telecom network hardware.

It remains to be seen how the new charm offensive will play out, but the wolf may already smell blood.

After intense recent lobbying by Huawei, reports have suggested Britain and New Zealand may walk back earlier indications that the company would be frozen out of their telecom plans.

At the world's top mobile industry fair in Spain last week, Huawei bagged 5G commercial contracts or partnership agreements with 10 telecom operators including Switzerland's Sunrise, Iceland's Nova, Saudi Arabia's STC and Turkey's Turkcell.

On Thursday, Huawei Chairman Guo Ping will hold a news conference at the Shenzhen headquarters that may be the real reason for the media tour's timing.

The New York Times on Monday cited anonymous sources saying Huawei this week will announce plans to sue the US government for barring American federal agencies from using the company's products.

The topic of the news conference has not been disclosed, but a big announcement would allow Huawei to seize back the narrative from Meng's extradition hearing.

Huawei declined to comment publicly on the Times report.

Opening its sprawling grounds also is a chance for Huawei to show that it is a global player not to be trifled with.

Around 60,000 employees work at Shenzhen HQ, which has cutting-edge laboratories, hotels, swimming pools and fitness centres, a dozen cafeterias, and a Huawei University where it trains staff as well as foreign customers and partners.

Huawei strenuously denies any connections to China's government.&nbsp;

Sceptics, however, say it is highly unlikely that Ren, a former Chinese army engineer, could have steered his company to such heights in such a strategic sector without the support of Beijing, which has clearly stated its goal of becoming the world's high-tech leader.

Besides its network dominance, Huawei is the world's number three smartphone supplier after Samsung and Apple.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei will give foreign media a peek into its headquarters Wednesday as the normally secretive company steps up a counter-offensive against US warnings that it could be used by Beijing for espionage and sabotage.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei will give foreign media a peek into its headquarters Wednesday as the normally secretive company steps up a counter-offensive against US warnings that it could be used by Beijing for espionage and sabotage. Huawei has kicked off the year with an aggressive PR campaign that has seen reclusive founder Ren Zhengfei suddenly give a series of interviews with foreign media to deny the company was a threat, while executives have dismissed the US warnings as baseless. The charm offensive reaches another gear Wednesday when Huawei rolls out the media welcome mat at its headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen. Foreign journalist visits are hardly routine at a headquarters where high-tech labs and manufacturing facilities employ 60,000 people, but these are unusual times for the company. The United States says Huawei equipment could be manipulated by China's Communist government to spy on other countries and disrupt critical communications. Washington is urging governments to shun the company just as the world readies for the advent of ultra-fast 5G telecommunications, an advancement that Huawei was expected to lead and which will allow widespread adoption of next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence. Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, Ren's daughter, also faces a court hearing on Wednesday in Vancouver on a US extradition request. Two Canadians have been detained in China in suspected retaliation over her arrest. The US Justice Department accuses Huawei and Meng of circumventing US sanctions against Iran. Two affiliates also have been charged with stealing trade secrets from telecommunications group T-Mobile. Wolf ethos Founded by Ren in 1987, Huawei has espoused a relentless "wolf" ethos that executives say fuelled its rise to become the world leader in telecom network hardware. It remains to be seen how the new charm offensive will play out, but the wolf may already smell blood. After intense recent lobbying by Huawei, reports have suggested Britain and New Zealand may walk back earlier indications that the company would be frozen out of their telecom plans. At the world's top mobile industry fair in Spain last week, Huawei bagged 5G commercial contracts or partnership agreements with 10 telecom operators including Switzerland's Sunrise, Iceland's Nova, Saudi Arabia's STC and Turkey's Turkcell. On Thursday, Huawei Chairman Guo Ping will hold a news conference at the Shenzhen headquarters that may be the real reason for the media tour's timing. The New York Times on Monday cited anonymous sources saying Huawei this week will announce plans to sue the US government for barring American federal agencies from using the company's products. The topic of the news conference has not been disclosed, but a big announcement would allow Huawei to seize back the narrative from Meng's extradition hearing. Huawei declined to comment publicly on the Times report. Opening its sprawling grounds also is a chance for Huawei to show that it is a global player not to be trifled with. Around 60,000 employees work at Shenzhen HQ, which has cutting-edge laboratories, hotels, swimming pools and fitness centres, a dozen cafeterias, and a Huawei University where it trains staff as well as foreign customers and partners. Huawei strenuously denies any connections to China's government. Sceptics, however, say it is highly unlikely that Ren, a former Chinese army engineer, could have steered his company to such heights in such a strategic sector without the support of Beijing, which has clearly stated its goal of becoming the world's high-tech leader. Besides its network dominance, Huawei is the world's number three smartphone supplier after Samsung and Apple.

In rare move, Huawei opens its door for foreign media to counter espionage accusations

China's global dominance in telecommunications networks could pose security threats for decades, Britain's cybersecurity chief warned in a speech in Singapore on Monday.

As countries move to roll out ultra-fast fifth-generation -- 5G -- mobile networks, concerns are mounting that Beijing could use hardware provided by Chinese firms to spy on Western governments.&nbsp;

"The strategic challenge of China's place in the era of globalised technology is much bigger than just one telecommunications equipment company... it's a first-order strategic challenge for us all," the head of Britain's GCHQ cybersecurity agency Jeremy Fleming said.&nbsp;

"It's a hugely complex strategic challenge which will span the next few decades... How we deal with it will be crucial for prosperity and security way beyond 5G contracts."&nbsp;

In the last year, the United States has stepped up pressure on its allies to block<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-breaks-price-ceiling-with-2600-folding-5g-smartphone-199404"> Chinese telecoms giant Huawei</a> from building their 5G networks, citing security concerns.&nbsp;

While the company's presence has been severely restricted in the US, Australia and New Zealand, Britain has launched a security review, which is due to decide whether Huawei technology will be used in the UK's 5G network. &nbsp;

Huawei executives in December met senior officials from Britain's National Cyber Security Centre where they agreed to a range of technical requirements to meet British security standards, which Fleming said is likely the world's "toughest oversight regime" for the firm.&nbsp;

"We need a diversified market that is competing on quality and security, as well as price," Fleming said, adding that the potential risks of allowing Chinese firms into markets need to be fully understood.&nbsp;

Speaking in Singapore to government and military leaders from across Southeast Asia, Fleming said that half of Britain's 1,100 cyber attacks in the past two had a state actor behind it, naming groups from China and Russia.&nbsp;

"Our future security will be guaranteed not by the quality of our coding, the design of our silicon, or the cunning of our cyber operators, but by the bonds that tie us together and the relationships that give us the confidence to act decisively against common threats," he added.&nbsp;

Last year, Australia banned Huawei equipment from its future 5G network while New Zealand has blocked its largest telecoms carrier from using Huawei technology in its rollout.

Both are members of the Five Eyes intelligence network, which also includes Britain, Canada and the US. &nbsp;

US prosecutors are also charging the firm with stealing trade secrets, saying it offered rewards to employees for stealing technology from other rivals.

Huawei is the world's second-largest smartphone vendor after Samsung and the leading supplier of the backbone equipment for wireless mobile networks worldwide which many countries are using to roll out 5G networks.&nbsp;

These will bring near-instantaneous connectivity, vast data capacity and futuristic technologies such as self-driving cars.

Chairman Guo Ping said Sunday that 5G security standards should be decided by technical experts, not politicians, and that Huawei hoped each country would make its decisions based on "national interests (and) not just listen to someone else's order".

China's global dominance in telecommunications networks could pose security threats for decades, Britain's cybersecurity chief warned in a speech in Singapore on Monday.

China's global dominance in telecommunications networks could pose security threats for decades, Britain's cybersecurity chief warned in a speech in Singapore on Monday. As countries move to roll out ultra-fast fifth-generation -- 5G -- mobile networks, concerns are mounting that Beijing could use hardware provided by Chinese firms to spy on Western governments. "The strategic challenge of China's place in the era of globalised technology is much bigger than just one telecommunications equipment company... it's a first-order strategic challenge for us all," the head of Britain's GCHQ cybersecurity agency Jeremy Fleming said. "It's a hugely complex strategic challenge which will span the next few decades... How we deal with it will be crucial for prosperity and security way beyond 5G contracts." In the last year, the United States has stepped up pressure on its allies to block Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from building their 5G networks, citing security concerns. While the company's presence has been severely restricted in the US, Australia and New Zealand, Britain has launched a security review, which is due to decide whether Huawei technology will be used in the UK's 5G network. Huawei executives in December met senior officials from Britain's National Cyber Security Centre where they agreed to a range of technical requirements to meet British security standards, which Fleming said is likely the world's "toughest oversight regime" for the firm. "We need a diversified market that is competing on quality and security, as well as price," Fleming said, adding that the potential risks of allowing Chinese firms into markets need to be fully understood. Speaking in Singapore to government and military leaders from across Southeast Asia, Fleming said that half of Britain's 1,100 cyber attacks in the past two had a state actor behind it, naming groups from China and Russia. "Our future security will be guaranteed not by the quality of our coding, the design of our silicon, or the cunning of our cyber operators, but by the bonds that tie us together and the relationships that give us the confidence to act decisively against common threats," he added. Last year, Australia banned Huawei equipment from its future 5G network while New Zealand has blocked its largest telecoms carrier from using Huawei technology in its rollout. Both are members of the Five Eyes intelligence network, which also includes Britain, Canada and the US. US prosecutors are also charging the firm with stealing trade secrets, saying it offered rewards to employees for stealing technology from other rivals. Huawei is the world's second-largest smartphone vendor after Samsung and the leading supplier of the backbone equipment for wireless mobile networks worldwide which many countries are using to roll out 5G networks. These will bring near-instantaneous connectivity, vast data capacity and futuristic technologies such as self-driving cars. Chairman Guo Ping said Sunday that 5G security standards should be decided by technical experts, not politicians, and that Huawei hoped each country would make its decisions based on "national interests (and) not just listen to someone else's order".

China's telecom dominance a security challenge: UK's cybersecurity chief

Huawei Technologies unveiled a $2,600 folding smartphone on Sunday which it said was primed for next-generation 5G mobile connections, even as the United States campaigns to bar the Chinese company from such networks over security concerns.

Huawei, the world’s second-largest smartphone vendor after Samsung, said it had taken the lead on developing phones for 5G - which promise super fast internet speeds for consumers and businesses - because it was also involved in developing the networks.

"This phone is not only for today for 5G but also for future 5G. On all the benchmarks you can see the performance, the speed is the fastest for 5G in the world," said Richard Yu, head of Huawei's consumer business group.

<img alt="Huawei Mate X" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50c20e2d-76eb-4993-ba61-43753ea5c012" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2815%29_1.jpg" />

<img alt="Huawei Mate X" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fef2e69f-f1f7-41ca-874d-c005a5dfa4dc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2816%29_1.jpg" />

Speaking ahead of the mobile industry's biggest global event, which kicks of on Monday in Barcelona, Yu said the Huawei Mate X will have two back-to-back screens which unfold to become an eight-inch tablet display.

Yu said the Mate X would be able to download a 1-gigabyte movie in three seconds but also be priced at 2,299 euros ($2,607) when it goes on sale later this year, setting a new upper limit for consumer smartphones.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd last week unveiled its own folding smartphone, priced at nearly $2,000, in a bid to top the technology of Apple Inc and Chinese rivals and reignite consumer interest amid slumping sales.

Huawei, which is also the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny in the West over U.S.-led allegations of enabling Chinese state espionage, accusations which the company denies.

Huawei's chairman said on Sunday recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. needed to get ahead in mobile communications through competition rather than seeking to block technology was "clear and correct".

Huawei Technologies unveiled a $2,600 folding smartphone on Sunday which it said was primed for next-generation 5G mobile connections, even as the United States campaigns to bar the Chinese company from such networks over security concerns.

Huawei Technologies unveiled a $2,600 folding smartphone on Sunday which it said was primed for next-generation 5G mobile connections, even as the United States campaigns to bar the Chinese company from such networks over security concerns. Huawei, the world’s second-largest smartphone vendor after Samsung, said it had taken the lead on developing phones for 5G - which promise super fast internet speeds for consumers and businesses - because it was also involved in developing the networks. "This phone is not only for today for 5G but also for future 5G. On all the benchmarks you can see the performance, the speed is the fastest for 5G in the world," said Richard Yu, head of Huawei's consumer business group. Speaking ahead of the mobile industry's biggest global event, which kicks of on Monday in Barcelona, Yu said the Huawei Mate X will have two back-to-back screens which unfold to become an eight-inch tablet display. Yu said the Mate X would be able to download a 1-gigabyte movie in three seconds but also be priced at 2,299 euros ($2,607) when it goes on sale later this year, setting a new upper limit for consumer smartphones. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd last week unveiled its own folding smartphone, priced at nearly $2,000, in a bid to top the technology of Apple Inc and Chinese rivals and reignite consumer interest amid slumping sales. Huawei, which is also the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny in the West over U.S.-led allegations of enabling Chinese state espionage, accusations which the company denies. Huawei's chairman said on Sunday recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. needed to get ahead in mobile communications through competition rather than seeking to block technology was "clear and correct".

Huawei breaks price ceiling with $2,600 folding 5G smartphone

President Donald Trump said Thursday American firms should "step up their efforts" on 5G -- superfast fifth-generation wireless networks -- while suggesting he was not prepared to block foreign firms from the US market for the key technology.

The comments made on Twitter left unclear whether Trump intended to bar Chinese firms from 5G networks in the United States, which has been reported by several media outlets.

But he said the US should "win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies."

The Trump administration in recent months has ramped up efforts to block Huawei, the leader in 5G, by urging allies to avoid the Chinese powerhouse, claiming that national security interests were at stake.

Trump's latest comments made no mention of China or Huawei but appeared to step back from the threat of a full ban.

"I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible," he said. "American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on something that is so obviously the future."

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I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible. It is far more powerful, faster, and smarter than the current standard. American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on.........
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1098581869233344512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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He added, "I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology."

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....something that is so obviously the future. I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1098583029713420288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said Thursday American firms should "step up their efforts" on 5G -- superfast fifth-generation wireless networks -- while suggesting he was not prepared to block foreign firms from the US market for the key technology.

President Donald Trump said Thursday American firms should "step up their efforts" on 5G -- superfast fifth-generation wireless networks -- while suggesting he was not prepared to block foreign firms from the US market for the key technology. The comments made on Twitter left unclear whether Trump intended to bar Chinese firms from 5G networks in the United States, which has been reported by several media outlets. But he said the US should "win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies." The Trump administration in recent months has ramped up efforts to block Huawei, the leader in 5G, by urging allies to avoid the Chinese powerhouse, claiming that national security interests were at stake. Trump's latest comments made no mention of China or Huawei but appeared to step back from the threat of a full ban. "I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible," he said. "American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on something that is so obviously the future." I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible. It is far more powerful, faster, and smarter than the current standard. American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on......... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2019 × He added, "I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology." ....something that is so obviously the future. I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2019 ×

Trump urges US firms to 'step up their efforts' on 5G on Twitter

Italy will ban China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp from playing a role in the rollout of the country's 5G infrastructure, Italy's La Stampa newspaper said on Thursday citing sources.

In order to do so the Italian government is ready to use so-called golden powers that allow it to pull out of contracts already signed without having to pay penalties, the paper said, citing the senior sources.

The paper cited sources as saying "strong pressure" had come from the United States.

Huawei faces international scrutiny over its ties with the Chinese government and suspicion Beijing could use its technology for spying, which the company denies.

The prime minister's office was not immediately available for comment.

Italy will ban China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp from playing a role in the rollout of the country's 5G infrastructure, Italy's La Stampa newspaper said on Thursday citing sources.

Italy will ban China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp from playing a role in the rollout of the country's 5G infrastructure, Italy's La Stampa newspaper said on Thursday citing sources. In order to do so the Italian government is ready to use so-called golden powers that allow it to pull out of contracts already signed without having to pay penalties, the paper said, citing the senior sources. The paper cited sources as saying "strong pressure" had come from the United States. Huawei faces international scrutiny over its ties with the Chinese government and suspicion Beijing could use its technology for spying, which the company denies. The prime minister's office was not immediately available for comment.

Italy to ban Huawei from its 5G plans: Report

WION Fineprint, 28th January, 2019

WION Your Story, 28th January, 2019

India can be a frontrunner in deployment of 5G but a lot will hinge on bolstering investments in fibre infrastructure, which is currently inadequate and trailing countries like China, TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said Thursday.

Sharma noted that there has been consolidation in the Indian telecom market leading to an optimal situation of one public sector and three private sector players, and added that the sector will see stability.

"In 5G space, we can leapfrog inadequacies which we have in physical world, all of which can be overcome with use of information and communication technologies...There is a serious concern that while people are talking of 5G as a slogan but it won't happen unless we put a lot of investment in fibre. Without fibre, 5G will not happen," Sharma said.

He was speaking at the India Digital Summit organised by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

India has only 22 per cent of mobile towers connected on fibre, while 78 per cent are without fibre, on wireless. China on the other hand, has 80 per cent connectivity through fibre and the rest through wireless, Sharma pointed out.

"The optical fibre cable laid today till date is equal to optical fibre cable laid in China in one single year," Sharma said adding fixed infrastructure will be critical for attaining a reliable and sustainable growth. Policies need to focus on promoting investments in infrastructure, he said.

"The National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) contains those set of policies and statements and we need to operationalise those to ensure investment," Sharma said.

The new telecom policy -- NDCP -- aims to attract USD 100 billion investment and create four million jobs in the sector by 2022. It seeks to provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 Mbps to every citizen by 2022, and also talks of enhancing the contribution of digital communications sector to 8 per cent of India's GDP, from the about 6 per cent now.

The TRAI chief further said there would be a need to unbundle service and infrastructure layers at some point, and fibre sharing could be one of the options in infrastructure sharing.

"We think end-of-end service provisioning will not happen in 5G," Sharma said.

He further said, the connectivity problems in the country need to be solved with urgency, and regulations should not be "constrained" by the fact that only a certain set of service providers should provide a particular service. 
"No one should have the monopoly of providing services to people of this country, and we should solve this problem by whatever means and instruments we can deploy," he said.

Sharma said he believes that three private and one public sector player is in sync with other major markets.

"My sense is that the sector is going to acquire stability and looking at examples around the world the number of players...Is a good number...And I don't see it going down further," he said.&nbsp;

India can be a frontrunner in deployment of 5G but a lot will hinge on bolstering investments in fibre infrastructure, which is currently inadequate and trailing countries like China, TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said Thursday.

India can be a frontrunner in deployment of 5G but a lot will hinge on bolstering investments in fibre infrastructure, which is currently inadequate and trailing countries like China, TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said Thursday. Sharma noted that there has been consolidation in the Indian telecom market leading to an optimal situation of one public sector and three private sector players, and added that the sector will see stability. "In 5G space, we can leapfrog inadequacies which we have in physical world, all of which can be overcome with use of information and communication technologies...There is a serious concern that while people are talking of 5G as a slogan but it won't happen unless we put a lot of investment in fibre. Without fibre, 5G will not happen," Sharma said. He was speaking at the India Digital Summit organised by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). India has only 22 per cent of mobile towers connected on fibre, while 78 per cent are without fibre, on wireless. China on the other hand, has 80 per cent connectivity through fibre and the rest through wireless, Sharma pointed out. "The optical fibre cable laid today till date is equal to optical fibre cable laid in China in one single year," Sharma said adding fixed infrastructure will be critical for attaining a reliable and sustainable growth. Policies need to focus on promoting investments in infrastructure, he said. "The National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) contains those set of policies and statements and we need to operationalise those to ensure investment," Sharma said. The new telecom policy -- NDCP -- aims to attract USD 100 billion investment and create four million jobs in the sector by 2022. It seeks to provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 Mbps to every citizen by 2022, and also talks of enhancing the contribution of digital communications sector to 8 per cent of India's GDP, from the about 6 per cent now. The TRAI chief further said there would be a need to unbundle service and infrastructure layers at some point, and fibre sharing could be one of the options in infrastructure sharing. "We think end-of-end service provisioning will not happen in 5G," Sharma said. He further said, the connectivity problems in the country need to be solved with urgency, and regulations should not be "constrained" by the fact that only a certain set of service providers should provide a particular service. "No one should have the monopoly of providing services to people of this country, and we should solve this problem by whatever means and instruments we can deploy," he said. Sharma said he believes that three private and one public sector player is in sync with other major markets. "My sense is that the sector is going to acquire stability and looking at examples around the world the number of players...Is a good number...And I don't see it going down further," he said.

India can lead in 5G deployment but investments key: TRAI chief

Mobile chipmaker Qualcomm is hopeful that 5G technology would be deployed in India at the same pace 4G networks were rolled out and noted the new-age technology offered great potential for consumers and enterprises alike.

Speaking to PTI, Qualcomm Incorporated President Cristiano Amon said he is extremely happy with the pace at which India transitioned from 3G to 4G.

"When it happened, it happened very very fast. It's remarkable what Reliance Jio has done and I think it clearly surprised everyone in the industry," he noted.

Emphasising that 5G is going to have a "more profound impact on the industry", Amon said he "would like India to be a 5G market as fast as we saw with 4G".

He added that Qualcomm is working with ecosystem players like regulators and device makers, globally including India for deployment of the new-generation 5G technology.

"We feel we have a role in driving the ecosystem together and that means everyone ... Starting with regulators looking at the spectrum and all the changes required to promote new technology to device-makers to app developers to now other industries such as auto, industrial manufacturing and healthcare," Amon said.

Apart from higher Internet speeds, the advent of the fifth generation of the wireless system or 5G will also enable the massive Internet of Things (IoT) deployment that would significantly impact sectors like manufacturing, retail, education and healthcare, among others.

He pointed out that Qualcomm has been very active for almost two years now, "promoting 5G to the ecosystem and that includes India".

While he declined to comment on timelines he expected for 5G deployment in India, Amon said the technology should become more mainstream globally by 2020.

5G services which is expected to provide download speed over 1,000 megabits per second on mobile devices&nbsp;is expected to be deployed across countries like the US, Korea and China in 2019.

While the Indian government is yet to announce a specific timeline, the industry wants spectrum auction to be held in the later part of 2019, following which 5G services could be rolled out.

The Indian government is also upbeat on 5G deployment in the country with Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha recently saying that India "cannot afford to miss the 5G bus".

Amon said 5G will be a commercial reality starting in early 2019, with mobile device launches and network rollouts across the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia and China.

Mobile chipmaker Qualcomm is hopeful that 5G technology would be deployed in India at the same pace 4G networks were rolled out and noted the new-age technology offered great potential for consumers and enterprises alike.

Mobile chipmaker Qualcomm is hopeful that 5G technology would be deployed in India at the same pace 4G networks were rolled out and noted the new-age technology offered great potential for consumers and enterprises alike. Speaking to PTI, Qualcomm Incorporated President Cristiano Amon said he is extremely happy with the pace at which India transitioned from 3G to 4G. "When it happened, it happened very very fast. It's remarkable what Reliance Jio has done and I think it clearly surprised everyone in the industry," he noted. Emphasising that 5G is going to have a "more profound impact on the industry", Amon said he "would like India to be a 5G market as fast as we saw with 4G". He added that Qualcomm is working with ecosystem players like regulators and device makers, globally including India for deployment of the new-generation 5G technology. "We feel we have a role in driving the ecosystem together and that means everyone ... Starting with regulators looking at the spectrum and all the changes required to promote new technology to device-makers to app developers to now other industries such as auto, industrial manufacturing and healthcare," Amon said. Apart from higher Internet speeds, the advent of the fifth generation of the wireless system or 5G will also enable the massive Internet of Things (IoT) deployment that would significantly impact sectors like manufacturing, retail, education and healthcare, among others. He pointed out that Qualcomm has been very active for almost two years now, "promoting 5G to the ecosystem and that includes India". While he declined to comment on timelines he expected for 5G deployment in India, Amon said the technology should become more mainstream globally by 2020. 5G services which is expected to provide download speed over 1,000 megabits per second on mobile devices is expected to be deployed across countries like the US, Korea and China in 2019. While the Indian government is yet to announce a specific timeline, the industry wants spectrum auction to be held in the later part of 2019, following which 5G services could be rolled out. The Indian government is also upbeat on 5G deployment in the country with Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha recently saying that India "cannot afford to miss the 5G bus". Amon said 5G will be a commercial reality starting in early 2019, with mobile device launches and network rollouts across the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia and China.

Qualcomm hopeful of faster 5G deployment in India

Grabbing the opportunity by both hands, American telecommunications company, Verizon announced on Monday it would releasing&nbsp;5g smartphones in partnership with Samsung in the first half of 2019 in the United States.

"The companies will unveil a proof of concept, powered by the upcoming flagship Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Mobile Platform with the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem and antenna modules with integrated RF transceiver, RF front-end and antenna elements, at the annual Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit in Maui this week," Verizon said in its official announcement. &nbsp;

The announcement comes after Apple reportedly announced its users to wait until at least 2020 to release 5g iPhones.

Apple's delay makes it easier for Samsung and Verizon to win customers who are eager to connect to 5G networks, which will provide a leap forward in mobile data speeds when they are introduced in 2019.

"5G mobility service will provide massive bandwidth, greater opportunities for connectivity and improved network reliability. When fully implemented, it will offer capacity and download speed many times faster than today’s 4G LTE network. Along with network latency that is faster than the blink of an eye," the company claimed in its announcement.

5G or the fifth generation is the latest wireless networking technology. It can offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks.

Grabbing the opportunity by both hands, American telecommunications company, Verizon announced on Monday it would releasing 5g smartphones in partnership with Samsung in the first half of 2019 in the United States.

Grabbing the opportunity by both hands, American telecommunications company, Verizon announced on Monday it would releasing 5g smartphones in partnership with Samsung in the first half of 2019 in the United States. "The companies will unveil a proof of concept, powered by the upcoming flagship Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Mobile Platform with the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem and antenna modules with integrated RF transceiver, RF front-end and antenna elements, at the annual Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit in Maui this week," Verizon said in its official announcement. The announcement comes after Apple reportedly announced its users to wait until at least 2020 to release 5g iPhones. Apple's delay makes it easier for Samsung and Verizon to win customers who are eager to connect to 5G networks, which will provide a leap forward in mobile data speeds when they are introduced in 2019. "5G mobility service will provide massive bandwidth, greater opportunities for connectivity and improved network reliability. When fully implemented, it will offer capacity and download speed many times faster than today’s 4G LTE network. Along with network latency that is faster than the blink of an eye," the company claimed in its announcement. 5G or the fifth generation is the latest wireless networking technology. It can offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks.

Verizon and Samsung to launch 5g smartphone by first half of 2019

US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a presidential memorandum directing the Commerce Department to develop a long-term comprehensive national spectrum strategy to prepare for the introduction of next-generation 5G wireless networks.

Trump is also creating a White House Spectrum Strategy Task Force and wants federal agencies to report on government spectrum needs and review how spectrum can be shared with private sector users.

The memorandum requires a series of reports over the next nine months and looking at ways and existing efforts on increasing spectrum and sharing existing spectrum. A long-term strategy is due by July.

The goal is to ensure th ere is enough spectrum to handle the growing amount of internet and wireless traffic and that future faster 5G networks have adequate spectrum.

The White House also said Trump is withdrawing presidential memorandums on spectrum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2010 and 2013.&nbsp;

AT&amp;T Inc , Verizon Communications Inc , Sprint Corp and T-Mobile US Inc are working to acquire spectrum and beginning to develop and test 5G networks, which are expected to be at least 100 times faster than current 4G networks and cut latency, or delays, to less than one-thousandth of a second from one-hundredth of a second in 4G, the Federal Communications Commission has said.

Wireless industry trade group CTIA praised the administration for "recognising the importance of establishing a national spectrum strategy. With the right approach based on licensed wireless spectrum, America’s wireless carriers will invest hundreds of billions of dollars and create millions of jobs."

White House officials said they do not support any effort to nationalize the 5G network. A leaked document in January suggested the administration was considering the idea.&nbsp;

"We will prioritize efforts to accelerate the private sector’s development of 5G, so that the American people can reap the rewards of this incredible technology," White House adviser Michael Kratsios told reporters on Thursday.

Democratic Federal Communications Commissioner (FCC) Jessica Rosenworcel questioned the length of the time for the reports. "Other nations are moving ahead while we’re headed to study hall - and in the interim we’re slapping big tariffs on 5G networks. This doesn`t speed our 5G leadership - it slows us down," she said.

One big issue is a band of spectrum reserved for automakers to enable vehicles to "talk" to one another that has gone largely unused. Cable companies and others want the FCC to award part or all of that to expand Wi-Fi.

On Tuesday, the FCC voted to open additional spectrum for use by unlicensed devices in the 6 GHz band, or five times the current spectrum available.

Unlicensed devices include things such as Wi-Fi routers, connected home appliances, baby monitors, fitness trackers, garage door openers and cordless landline phones.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a presidential memorandum directing the Commerce Department to develop a long-term comprehensive national spectrum strategy to prepare for the introduction of next-generation 5G wireless networks.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a presidential memorandum directing the Commerce Department to develop a long-term comprehensive national spectrum strategy to prepare for the introduction of next-generation 5G wireless networks. Trump is also creating a White House Spectrum Strategy Task Force and wants federal agencies to report on government spectrum needs and review how spectrum can be shared with private sector users. The memorandum requires a series of reports over the next nine months and looking at ways and existing efforts on increasing spectrum and sharing existing spectrum. A long-term strategy is due by July. The goal is to ensure th ere is enough spectrum to handle the growing amount of internet and wireless traffic and that future faster 5G networks have adequate spectrum. The White House also said Trump is withdrawing presidential memorandums on spectrum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2010 and 2013. AT&T Inc , Verizon Communications Inc , Sprint Corp and T-Mobile US Inc are working to acquire spectrum and beginning to develop and test 5G networks, which are expected to be at least 100 times faster than current 4G networks and cut latency, or delays, to less than one-thousandth of a second from one-hundredth of a second in 4G, the Federal Communications Commission has said. Wireless industry trade group CTIA praised the administration for "recognising the importance of establishing a national spectrum strategy. With the right approach based on licensed wireless spectrum, America’s wireless carriers will invest hundreds of billions of dollars and create millions of jobs." White House officials said they do not support any effort to nationalize the 5G network. A leaked document in January suggested the administration was considering the idea. "We will prioritize efforts to accelerate the private sector’s development of 5G, so that the American people can reap the rewards of this incredible technology," White House adviser Michael Kratsios told reporters on Thursday. Democratic Federal Communications Commissioner (FCC) Jessica Rosenworcel questioned the length of the time for the reports. "Other nations are moving ahead while we’re headed to study hall - and in the interim we’re slapping big tariffs on 5G networks. This doesn`t speed our 5G leadership - it slows us down," she said. One big issue is a band of spectrum reserved for automakers to enable vehicles to "talk" to one another that has gone largely unused. Cable companies and others want the FCC to award part or all of that to expand Wi-Fi. On Tuesday, the FCC voted to open additional spectrum for use by unlicensed devices in the 6 GHz band, or five times the current spectrum available. Unlicensed devices include things such as Wi-Fi routers, connected home appliances, baby monitors, fitness trackers, garage door openers and cordless landline phones.

Trump signs order to set US spectrum strategy as 5G race looms

India is in discussions with South Korea, a global leader in telecom technologies, for jointly setting up 5G test laboratories.&nbsp

"The telecom ministry is in discussion with South Korea to collaborate in the field of telecommunications including setting up of 5G test laboratories," an official source told PTI.&nbsp

South Korea has led the world for many years in the development of advanced telecom technologies. The country was ranked second in information communications technology index for 2017 by the International Telecommunication Union, while India was at the 134th position.

Over 90 per cent of households in South Korea have access to over 1,000-megabit per second broadband speed service, according to ITU.

"Initiative of partnering South Korea was taken by the telecom minister (Manoj Sinha) during his visit to Mobile World Congress in Spain. There is a plan to sign a memorandum of understanding between both countries in the field of telecom," the source said.

According to industry estimates, South Korea is likely to be among the early starters of 5G services. Telecom operators in South Korea have already conducted trial runs of 5G technologies during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

"The minister (Sinha) has already committed that India will be among early starters of 5G. Partnership with South Korea will help India expedite its plan for 5G rollout," the source said.

According to industry players and experts, India is likely to see the rollout of 5G services after standards for the technology are finalised by ITU in 2019. 
&nbsp

South Korea has led the world for many years in the development of advanced telecom technologies

India is in discussions with South Korea, a global leader in telecom technologies, for jointly setting up 5G test laboratories. "The telecom ministry is in discussion with South Korea to collaborate in the field of telecommunications including setting up of 5G test laboratories," an official source told PTI. South Korea has led the world for many years in the development of advanced telecom technologies. The country was ranked second in information communications technology index for 2017 by the International Telecommunication Union, while India was at the 134th position. Over 90 per cent of households in South Korea have access to over 1,000-megabit per second broadband speed service, according to ITU. "Initiative of partnering South Korea was taken by the telecom minister (Manoj Sinha) during his visit to Mobile World Congress in Spain. There is a plan to sign a memorandum of understanding between both countries in the field of telecom," the source said. According to industry estimates, South Korea is likely to be among the early starters of 5G services. Telecom operators in South Korea have already conducted trial runs of 5G technologies during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. "The minister (Sinha) has already committed that India will be among early starters of 5G. Partnership with South Korea will help India expedite its plan for 5G rollout," the source said. According to industry players and experts, India is likely to see the rollout of 5G services after standards for the technology are finalised by ITU in 2019.

India in talks with South Korea for setting up 5G test labs

From 5G trials to resolving business issues of telecom operators, the government is working to connect all the dots to ensure that India does not miss the 5G services bus, telecom minister Manoj Sinha said.

&quot;We missed 2G, 3G and 4G bus but we are not going to miss 5G bus. A lot of work has been done in our department regarding it both at government and at service providers level,&quot; Sinha told PTI in an interview.

He was leading India&#39;s largest delegation at the global telecom industry event-- Mobile World Congress.

Responding to query on existing financial stress in the sector, Sinha said the Cabinet will soon take a call on the recommendations of an inter-ministerial group (IMG) on revival of the sector. &quot;Hopefully in the next cabinet meeting,&quot; Sinha said.

As part of relief measures for the debt-ridden telecom sector, the Telecom Commission has concurred with IMG recommendation to extend the time period for the payment of spectrum bought in auctions by operators to 16 years from the current 10 years and the regulator&#39;s recommendation that the ceiling on spectrum held by mobile operators within a particular band should be removed.

It suggested a 50 per cent cap on combined radiowave holding in efficient bands.

Global telecom operators including Vodafone raised issue of level-playing-field with internet based companies under net neutrality as they need to make return on their investment to expand networks and roll out next generation technology.

Sinha said that government has received recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and will soon come out with policy around it.

&quot;As far as net neutrality is considered, Trai&#39;s recommendations are broadly similar to view of our department. It is under advance stages of discussion and we will soon come out with policy on net neutrality,&quot; Sinha said.

Talking about 5G readiness, the minister said that government is at advanced stages to set-up a test bed for 5G services at IIT Chennai and is open to allocate spectrum for trials to all entities including telecom operators for research and development of new technologies.

&quot;Under Chairmanship of Telecom secretary (Aruna Sundararajan) we have constituted a high power committee. She is doing very good job. C-DoT has developed certain standards. BSNL is working in its own manner. Even private operators have made progress in this regard, specially Airtel and Reliance Jio,&quot; Sinha said.

For ease of doing business, the government has taken many progressive steps in this regard and within three months the entire process to obtain a licence will be made online.

&quot;We are going to make entire licence process online. We don&#39;t want any human interface. Rules will be on our website and anyone eligible entity can come and apply through website. I don&#39;t want human interface in this. We will implement it in maximum one quarter,&quot; Sinha said.

He said that in the last three years, the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented reforms in the telecom sector including spectrum sharing, trading, simple network roll out rules and many of the issues of telecom operators will be addressed under the new telecom policy in the works.

'We missed 2G, 3G and 4G bus but we are not going to miss 5G bus. A lot of work has been done in our department regarding it both at government and at service providers level,' Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha said

From 5G trials to resolving business issues of telecom operators, the government is working to connect all the dots to ensure that India does not miss the 5G services bus, telecom minister Manoj Sinha said. "We missed 2G, 3G and 4G bus but we are not going to miss 5G bus. A lot of work has been done in our department regarding it both at government and at service providers level," Sinha told PTI in an interview. He was leading India's largest delegation at the global telecom industry event-- Mobile World Congress. Responding to query on existing financial stress in the sector, Sinha said the Cabinet will soon take a call on the recommendations of an inter-ministerial group (IMG) on revival of the sector. "Hopefully in the next cabinet meeting," Sinha said. As part of relief measures for the debt-ridden telecom sector, the Telecom Commission has concurred with IMG recommendation to extend the time period for the payment of spectrum bought in auctions by operators to 16 years from the current 10 years and the regulator's recommendation that the ceiling on spectrum held by mobile operators within a particular band should be removed. It suggested a 50 per cent cap on combined radiowave holding in efficient bands. Global telecom operators including Vodafone raised issue of level-playing-field with internet based companies under net neutrality as they need to make return on their investment to expand networks and roll out next generation technology. Sinha said that government has received recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and will soon come out with policy around it. "As far as net neutrality is considered, Trai's recommendations are broadly similar to view of our department. It is under advance stages of discussion and we will soon come out with policy on net neutrality," Sinha said. Talking about 5G readiness, the minister said that government is at advanced stages to set-up a test bed for 5G services at IIT Chennai and is open to allocate spectrum for trials to all entities including telecom operators for research and development of new technologies. "Under Chairmanship of Telecom secretary (Aruna Sundararajan) we have constituted a high power committee. She is doing very good job. C-DoT has developed certain standards. BSNL is working in its own manner. Even private operators have made progress in this regard, specially Airtel and Reliance Jio," Sinha said. For ease of doing business, the government has taken many progressive steps in this regard and within three months the entire process to obtain a licence will be made online. "We are going to make entire licence process online. We don't want any human interface. Rules will be on our website and anyone eligible entity can come and apply through website. I don't want human interface in this. We will implement it in maximum one quarter," Sinha said. He said that in the last three years, the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented reforms in the telecom sector including spectrum sharing, trading, simple network roll out rules and many of the issues of telecom operators will be addressed under the new telecom policy in the works.

India will not miss 5G bus: Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha

Vodafone and Huawei achieved yet another milestone as the two groups jointly completed the world&rsquo;s first call using the Non-Stand-Alone (NSA) 3GPP 5G new radio (NR) standard and sub6 GHz spectrum.&nbsp;

The call which was made using a test network, took place in Spain ahead of Mobile World Congress which starts on February 26.

The standards organisation 3GPP agreed on the Non-Stand-Alone global standard for 5G as part of its &lsquo;Release 15&rsquo; in December 2017.

In the test, a dual connectivity 4G to 5G live call was achieved using a test device.&nbsp;

The voice over internet protocol (VOIP) connection started on 4G and then established the data connection on 5G.&nbsp;

The engineers also successfully tested a live HD video call using the same route.

A 5G NR end-to-end test network was built to undertake the trial and used 3.7GHz spectrum. Huawei Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network equipment were deployed to support the test with micro-service centric architecture, control plane/user plane separation, unified access and network slicing technology.

Santiago Tenorio, Vodafone&rsquo;s Group Head of Networks Strategy and Architecture, said: &quot;This is a significant milestone for Vodafone towards the introduction of 5G. The credit for this must go to the engineers in Huawei and Vodafone who have worked tirelessly since December. This successful test will enable us to move forward with further trials of 5G across Europe during 2018.&quot;

Yang Chaobin, President of Huawei&rsquo;s 5G product line, said: &quot;Huawei is fully committed to the further development of this end-to-end 5G network technology. This test result shows the maturity of 5G system based on the 3GPP standard. We are ready to continue our collaboration with Vodafone and enter commercial trial.&quot;

MWC 2018 will be held from February 26 to March 1 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei will showcase its products and solutions at booth 1J50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1, booth 3I30 in Hall 3, and the Innovation City zone in Hall 4.&nbsp;

The call was completed using 3GPP R15 NSA Standard

Vodafone and Huawei achieved yet another milestone as the two groups jointly completed the world’s first call using the Non-Stand-Alone (NSA) 3GPP 5G new radio (NR) standard and sub6 GHz spectrum. The call which was made using a test network, took place in Spain ahead of Mobile World Congress which starts on February 26. The standards organisation 3GPP agreed on the Non-Stand-Alone global standard for 5G as part of its ‘Release 15’ in December 2017. In the test, a dual connectivity 4G to 5G live call was achieved using a test device. The voice over internet protocol (VOIP) connection started on 4G and then established the data connection on 5G. The engineers also successfully tested a live HD video call using the same route. A 5G NR end-to-end test network was built to undertake the trial and used 3.7GHz spectrum. Huawei Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network equipment were deployed to support the test with micro-service centric architecture, control plane/user plane separation, unified access and network slicing technology. Santiago Tenorio, Vodafone’s Group Head of Networks Strategy and Architecture, said: "This is a significant milestone for Vodafone towards the introduction of 5G. The credit for this must go to the engineers in Huawei and Vodafone who have worked tirelessly since December. This successful test will enable us to move forward with further trials of 5G across Europe during 2018." Yang Chaobin, President of Huawei’s 5G product line, said: "Huawei is fully committed to the further development of this end-to-end 5G network technology. This test result shows the maturity of 5G system based on the 3GPP standard. We are ready to continue our collaboration with Vodafone and enter commercial trial." MWC 2018 will be held from February 26 to March 1 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei will showcase its products and solutions at booth 1J50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1, booth 3I30 in Hall 3, and the Innovation City zone in Hall 4.

Vodafone, Huawei complete world's first 5G call and dual connectivity

India&#39;s first 5G network trial was successfully conducted today by Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel and Chinese equipment maker Huawei. In the first-ever trial, over 3 gigabit per second data speed was achieved. The trial was conducted at Airtel&#39;s network experience centre in Manesar, Gurgaon.

&quot;This is small but a very significant step in our journey towards 5G. The promise of 5G is endless, it will be a game changer and, it will change the way we live, work and engage. We look forward to working closely with our partners for developing a robust 5G ecosystem in India,&quot; Abhay Savargaonkar, Director Networks, Bharti Airtel said.

&quot;This is the highest measured throughput for a mobile network in 3.5 GHz band with 100 MHz bandwidth and end-to-end network latency of approximately 1 milliseconds,&quot; the statement said.

The 5G technology will facilitate faster and smoother access of services like augmented reality, virtual reality, among others.

&quot;We have been focusing on developing 5G ecosystem and use cases, and the show with Bharti Airtel impressively demonstrates the performance capability of 5G in 3.5 GHz band. We shall also continue to work with vertical industry players to develop wider ecosystem use cases beyond enhanced mobile broadband.&quot; Emmanuel Coelho Alves, Director, Wireless Marketing, Huawei HQ noted.&nbsp;

The 5G technology will facilitate faster and smoother access to services like augmented reality, virtual reality, among others

India's first 5G network trial was successfully conducted today by Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel and Chinese equipment maker Huawei. In the first-ever trial, over 3 gigabit per second data speed was achieved. The trial was conducted at Airtel's network experience centre in Manesar, Gurgaon. "This is small but a very significant step in our journey towards 5G. The promise of 5G is endless, it will be a game changer and, it will change the way we live, work and engage. We look forward to working closely with our partners for developing a robust 5G ecosystem in India," Abhay Savargaonkar, Director Networks, Bharti Airtel said. "This is the highest measured throughput for a mobile network in 3.5 GHz band with 100 MHz bandwidth and end-to-end network latency of approximately 1 milliseconds," the statement said. The 5G technology will facilitate faster and smoother access of services like augmented reality, virtual reality, among others. "We have been focusing on developing 5G ecosystem and use cases, and the show with Bharti Airtel impressively demonstrates the performance capability of 5G in 3.5 GHz band. We shall also continue to work with vertical industry players to develop wider ecosystem use cases beyond enhanced mobile broadband." Emmanuel Coelho Alves, Director, Wireless Marketing, Huawei HQ noted.

Airtel, Huawei conduct India's first 5G trial

The White House is bringing together drone makers, wireless companies and venture capitalists on Thursday to look at ways government can help speed new technologies to the marketplace.

President Donald Trump will meet with the chief executives of General Electric, Honeywell International&nbsp;and AT&amp;T, major drone industry firms and venture capitalists.

Michael Kratsios, the White House&#39;s deputy chief technology officer, told reporters the goal of the sessions is to find ways the United States &quot;can maintain its leadership creating and fostering entirely new technologies that will drive our economic growth&quot;.

The chief executives of several unmanned aerial system, or drone, companies including Kespry Inc, AirMap, Airspace Inc, Measure UAS Inc, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk Inc are attending the White House sessions.

Senior executives at Xcel Energy, Verizon Communications&nbsp;and CenturyLink&nbsp;are also taking part as are venture capital firms including AOL co-founder Steve Case who heads Revolution LLC, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures.

The administration wants to promote the development and commercialisation of emerging technologies and speed the development of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones and 5G wireless technology, Kratsios said.

The Obama administration implemented rules that opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for purposes such as deliveries where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator. Security issues would need to be resolved.

The FAA in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and the commercial drone fleet will increase tenfold to about 442,000.

Last year, the FCC cleared the way for 5G, a lightning-fast next generation of wireless services. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020.

New 5G networks are expected to provide speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today&#39;s 4G networks. The next generation of wireless signals needs to be much faster and far more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or controlling machines remotely, regulators say.

The networks could help wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines to facilitate the &quot;internet of things&quot;.

(Reuters)

Trump administration is considering expanding drone use for deliveries where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator

The White House is bringing together drone makers, wireless companies and venture capitalists on Thursday to look at ways government can help speed new technologies to the marketplace. President Donald Trump will meet with the chief executives of General Electric, Honeywell International and AT&T, major drone industry firms and venture capitalists. Michael Kratsios, the White House's deputy chief technology officer, told reporters the goal of the sessions is to find ways the United States "can maintain its leadership creating and fostering entirely new technologies that will drive our economic growth". The chief executives of several unmanned aerial system, or drone, companies including Kespry Inc, AirMap, Airspace Inc, Measure UAS Inc, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk Inc are attending the White House sessions. Senior executives at Xcel Energy, Verizon Communications and CenturyLink are also taking part as are venture capital firms including AOL co-founder Steve Case who heads Revolution LLC, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures. The administration wants to promote the development and commercialisation of emerging technologies and speed the development of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones and 5G wireless technology, Kratsios said. The Obama administration implemented rules that opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for purposes such as deliveries where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator. Security issues would need to be resolved. The FAA in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and the commercial drone fleet will increase tenfold to about 442,000. Last year, the FCC cleared the way for 5G, a lightning-fast next generation of wireless services. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020. New 5G networks are expected to provide speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today's 4G networks. The next generation of wireless signals needs to be much faster and far more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or controlling machines remotely, regulators say. The networks could help wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines to facilitate the "internet of things". (Reuters)

White House aims to speed US drone, wireless technologies

Chinese telecoms giant ZTE has unveiled what is claimed to be the world&#39;s first smartphone compatible with the lightening-fast 5G mobile internet service that networks expect to have up and running by 2020.

The company said the Gigabit Phone is the first smartphone capable of download speeds reaching up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) - up to 10 times faster than the first generation of 4G services widely in use today.

The device, unveiled in Barcelona in northeastern Spain on the eve of the Mobile World Congress, the world&#39;s biggest mobile fair, will allow for 360-degree panoramic Virtual Reality video and fast downloads of ultra Hi-Fi music and videos.

&quot;With the new device, the way people stay connected will be changed forever. Focusing on 5G technologies will be one of the key priorities of ZTE&rsquo;s global development,&quot; a ZTE spokesman said.

Tech firms are racing to develop products that will be compatible with 5G, shorthand for the fifth generation of networks, which promise blazing fast connectivity for a generation used to streaming movies and TV directly to phones.

South Korean carrier KT Corp aims to offer trial 5G services during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. 
The first large-scale commercial deployment of the technology is expected in 2020.

Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said ZTE was using the phone to &quot;showcase innovation&quot; and &quot;offer a glimpse into the future when people will be able to download full movies in seconds&quot; but it was not likely to be a big seller.

&quot;The sad reality is that this smartphone will not end up in consumers&#39; pockets because both 5G and Virtual Reality are still years away to be a mass-market consumer reality,&quot; he added.

Founded in 1985, ZTE offers telecom equipment and services and has customers in more than 160 countries, according to the company.

It is the only Chinese smartphone vendor with a meaningful presence in the United States, where its 10 percent market share makes it the fourth-largest vendor.

(AFP)

ZTE's Gigabit Phone is the first smartphone capable of download speeds reaching up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps)

Chinese telecoms giant ZTE has unveiled what is claimed to be the world's first smartphone compatible with the lightening-fast 5G mobile internet service that networks expect to have up and running by 2020. The company said the Gigabit Phone is the first smartphone capable of download speeds reaching up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) - up to 10 times faster than the first generation of 4G services widely in use today. The device, unveiled in Barcelona in northeastern Spain on the eve of the Mobile World Congress, the world's biggest mobile fair, will allow for 360-degree panoramic Virtual Reality video and fast downloads of ultra Hi-Fi music and videos. "With the new device, the way people stay connected will be changed forever. Focusing on 5G technologies will be one of the key priorities of ZTE’s global development," a ZTE spokesman said. Tech firms are racing to develop products that will be compatible with 5G, shorthand for the fifth generation of networks, which promise blazing fast connectivity for a generation used to streaming movies and TV directly to phones. South Korean carrier KT Corp aims to offer trial 5G services during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The first large-scale commercial deployment of the technology is expected in 2020. Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said ZTE was using the phone to "showcase innovation" and "offer a glimpse into the future when people will be able to download full movies in seconds" but it was not likely to be a big seller. "The sad reality is that this smartphone will not end up in consumers' pockets because both 5G and Virtual Reality are still years away to be a mass-market consumer reality," he added. Founded in 1985, ZTE offers telecom equipment and services and has customers in more than 160 countries, according to the company. It is the only Chinese smartphone vendor with a meaningful presence in the United States, where its 10 percent market share makes it the fourth-largest vendor. (AFP)

Meet the world's first 5G-ready smartphone

Trailing its rivals after misplaced bets on wireless technology standards, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd aims to become a global top-three player in 5G mobile networks by moving quickly in markets like the United States, an executive said. 
 
The world&#39;s top smartphone maker ranks well behind peers such as Nokia Corp, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Ericsson in the networks business, after backing CDMA and WiMax wireless technologies that never caught on globally. 
 
The South Korean giant now sees an opportunity to catch up by moving fast and early on 5G, the wireless technology that telecom equipment makers are rushing to develop as the next-generation standard. 
 
&quot;We plan to move quickly and want to be at least among the top three with 5G,&quot; Kim Young-ky, Samsung&#39;s network business chief, told Reuters in an interview. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s important to get in early.&quot; 
 
5G wireless networks could offer data speeds ten times faster than 4G technology, enabling futuristic products such as self-driving cars and smart-gadgets that tech firms expect to become ubiquitous in the homes of tomorrow. 
 
Major network firms are targeting the United States as it moves rapidly ahead with plans to open spectrum for 5G wireless applications. Some U.S. officials expect to see the first large-scale commercial deployments by 2020. 
 
South Korea and Japan are also racing to deploy 5G hoping the next-generation standard will boost economic activity. South Korean carrier KT Corp aims to offer trial 5G services during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. 
 
LOFTY AMBITIONS 
 
Samsung is targetting more than 10 trillion Won (US$ 8.6 billion) in annual sales of 5G equipment by 2022, a spokeswoman said. 
 
This would be a big step up for a networks business that generated less than 3 trillion Won in revenue last year, compared with 100.5 trillion Won in mobile device sales. 
 
Crucial to its plans is a partnership with New York-based Verizon Communications Inc to commercialise the technology. Other firms working with Verizon on 5G include Nokia, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Intel Corp. 
 
Verizon conducts field tests this year and aims to begin deploying 5G trials on home broadband services in 2017 in the United States, likely the first 5G application commercially available before a broader mobile network standard is agreed. 
 
As the industry is yet to decide on a 5G mobile standard, Samsung plans to start by selling equipment such as base transceiver stations and home receivers for fixed wireless broadband access. 
 
&quot;Even in Manhattan there are many areas in which it&#39;s difficult to get access to wireline broadband services,&quot; Kim said. 
 
The fixed wireless broadband market alone could be worth tens of billions of dollars, he said. 
 
Yet some analysts said it could be difficult for Samsung to convince carriers to increase orders at the expense of more established players. 
 
&quot;The network equipment business is a B2B business where the barrier to entry is high,&quot; Alpha Asset Management fund manager C.J. Heo said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
($1 = 1,161.0000 Won) 
 
&nbsp;

It ranks well behind its peers in the networks business, having backed CDMA and WiMax wireless technologies that never caught on globally

Trailing its rivals after misplaced bets on wireless technology standards, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd aims to become a global top-three player in 5G mobile networks by moving quickly in markets like the United States, an executive said. The world's top smartphone maker ranks well behind peers such as Nokia Corp, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Ericsson in the networks business, after backing CDMA and WiMax wireless technologies that never caught on globally. The South Korean giant now sees an opportunity to catch up by moving fast and early on 5G, the wireless technology that telecom equipment makers are rushing to develop as the next-generation standard. "We plan to move quickly and want to be at least among the top three with 5G," Kim Young-ky, Samsung's network business chief, told Reuters in an interview. "It's important to get in early." 5G wireless networks could offer data speeds ten times faster than 4G technology, enabling futuristic products such as self-driving cars and smart-gadgets that tech firms expect to become ubiquitous in the homes of tomorrow. Major network firms are targeting the United States as it moves rapidly ahead with plans to open spectrum for 5G wireless applications. Some U.S. officials expect to see the first large-scale commercial deployments by 2020. South Korea and Japan are also racing to deploy 5G hoping the next-generation standard will boost economic activity. South Korean carrier KT Corp aims to offer trial 5G services during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. LOFTY AMBITIONS Samsung is targetting more than 10 trillion Won (US$ 8.6 billion) in annual sales of 5G equipment by 2022, a spokeswoman said. This would be a big step up for a networks business that generated less than 3 trillion Won in revenue last year, compared with 100.5 trillion Won in mobile device sales. Crucial to its plans is a partnership with New York-based Verizon Communications Inc to commercialise the technology. Other firms working with Verizon on 5G include Nokia, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Intel Corp. Verizon conducts field tests this year and aims to begin deploying 5G trials on home broadband services in 2017 in the United States, likely the first 5G application commercially available before a broader mobile network standard is agreed. As the industry is yet to decide on a 5G mobile standard, Samsung plans to start by selling equipment such as base transceiver stations and home receivers for fixed wireless broadband access. "Even in Manhattan there are many areas in which it's difficult to get access to wireline broadband services," Kim said. The fixed wireless broadband market alone could be worth tens of billions of dollars, he said. Yet some analysts said it could be difficult for Samsung to convince carriers to increase orders at the expense of more established players. "The network equipment business is a B2B business where the barrier to entry is high," Alpha Asset Management fund manager C.J. Heo said. (Reuters) ($1 = 1,161.0000 Won)

Samsung aims for top-three spot in 5G mobile networks

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