[Column] The Silent Tech War Unfolding at MWC

MWC 2024 Overview / Photo by Joint Press Corps

Last month’s MWC 2024, the world’s largest mobile expo, was aptly described as a “silent technology war.” Mobile carriers, device manufacturers, and telecommunications equipment companies fiercely competed for dominance in the future communications ecosystem. The tense tug-of-war between the US and China, subtle industry rivalries, and strategic alliances to become AI leaders were all on display.

The most striking development was the rise of Chinese companies outside the US sphere of influence. From Honor’s on-device AI smartphone rivaling the Galaxy S24, to Xiaomi’s ambition to “connect everything,” and Huawei’s 5.5G communication equipment promising faster, latency-free mobile internet?these Chinese firms showcased cutting-edge technologies unseen in the domestic market.

Western companies were busy promoting Open RAN to “de-China” their networks. Open RAN is a core 5G technology that enables interoperability between base station equipment made by different manufacturers. The US leveraged this as a strategy to regain leadership by moving away from Huawei’s telecom equipment. Unlike American and European companies that emphasized Open RAN as a key theme, it was difficult to find even the term “Open RAN” at Chinese company booths.

Huawei prominently featured its 5.5G communication equipment, which is up to 10 times faster than existing 5G. Stating that “introducing 5.5G technology is essential before the 6G era arrives,” Huawei presented concrete cases showing how carriers can generate revenue with 5.5G, adopting a practical and realistic approach. They introduced ways to integrate advanced networks and various AI technologies into actual business applications.

What about our reality? This year’s MWC became an opportunity to showcase the potential and growth prospects of domestic companies on the international stage, from SK Telecom, which formed a global alliance with carriers and AI partners to develop a communications-specialized large language model (LLM), to the startup “Hyodol,” which won awards for its AI care robot.

However, unlike Huawei’s proactive moves, domestic carriers stated that they have yet to fully recover their 5G investments. They seemed to hope the 6G era would arrive as late as possible. Advanced communication technologies are evolving rapidly every year. Leadership can be seized or lost in the blink of an eye. This harsh reality, where no one can afford to look away, was deeply felt.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.