All about Huawei

Huawei has been the talk of the town — at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and everywhere from Washington, D.C., and Brussels to London, Ottawa, and Beijing.

As we witnessed, the consumer press was easily distracted by Huawei’s $2,600 foldable handsets on the show floor. But a battle royale between Huawei and U.S. officials (separate from mobile operators in different countries) is reportedly roaring behind closed doors in Barcelona. All eyes are on Huawei.

The Huawei problem, however, isn’t limited to politics.

Last year, Huawei was the world’s third-largest semiconductor “buyer,” according to Gartner. Let that sink in.

If Huawei becomes a pariah for Western countries, what’s the fallout? What are the unintended consequences in the global market?

Consider the supply chain. Consider the telecom equipment market. Consider IP theft issues and long-term U.S.-China trade relations. And really, how did Huawei’s legal woes get so big? Is there any way for Huawei to get its groove back?

During the same week of Mobile World Congress 2019, EE Times chose Huawei as our topic for the latest AspenCore Media Special Project. We’ve examined not just the political posturing directed at Huawei but also the impact that such overheated rhetoric might have on the electronics industry.

Check out all of the stories inside this Huawei Special Project:

Huawei and Decades of Doubt
Yes, Huawei is caught up in the trade spat between China and the U.S., but its behavior going back nearly two decades has elicited widespread suspicion and distrust.

Carriers, OEMs Seek Huawei Clarity
Removing Huawei equipment that’s already installed is fraught with difficulties. Furthermore, it’s not clear if removal is necessary, let alone shunning the company’s gear from the start. What’s a wireless company to do?

Timeline: History of Huawei’s Legal Woes in the U.S.
Practically since the moment that it first established operations in the U.S., Huawei has found itself accused of intellectual property. More recently, the U.S. has also accused Huawei of violating export control laws and posing a risk to national security.

U.S.-China Crisis: Fallout for Chip Industry
We asked Dieter Ernst, economist, how his views on the U.S. and China have changed in recent years. We also wanted to know how badly the global electronics industry might be damaged as U.S.-China relations deteriorate.

Would a Huawei Boycott Unravel the Supply Chain?
The global supply chain is facing a dilemma. As governments in the U.S. and Europe ramp up their rhetoric against Huawei’s perceived threats to security and intellectual property, the firm is at the same time becoming a more important customer.

Getting Huawei’s Groove Back
Huawei has historically done a poor job engaging with markets. PR pro Lou Hoffman diagnoses Huawei’s communication problems and recommends a regimen for digging itself out of its current crisis.