Huawei dampens 5G expectations

Huawei has issued a sobering warning to those caught up in the 5G hypewagon by claiming that most consumers won’t notice the difference when next generation networks go live.

Equipment manufacturers, handset makers and mobile operators have been talking up 5G for several years, claiming it will power new applications such as connected cars, the Internet of Things (IoT) and enhanced mobile broadband.

It was the talk of Mobile World Congress (MWC) and the subject of several high profile announcements in Barcelona, but according to the FT, Huawei’s rotating CEO Eric Xu told the company’s analyst summit that although 5G would make mobile networks better, it would be a struggle for operators to make money.

Huawei 5G plans

He pointed out that existing 4G technologies can support many of the new applications already, which slightly deflates the optimism that 5G networks will open up new revenue streams and reduce operating costs.

However he said that Huawei, which is one of the most influential firms with regards to 5G, will continue to work hard on development and on products for its customers because it is in the best interests of its business. Indeed, Huawei’s first 5G-compatible smartphone could arrive in the second half of 2019.

The comments come weeks after the US government blocked Broadcom’s proposed takeover of Qualcomm because of concerns it would hand Huawei, and therefore China, an advantage in 5G development.

Indeed, a recent report suggested that government support and industry momentum had given China the lead in the global 5G race. The US is keen to maintain the leadership it won with 4G because of the impact it can have on GDP and a country’s domestic wireless industry.

It is expected that the first commercial 5G services will launch in 2019, and there could be as many as 2.3 billion 5G connections by 2026.

Want to find out more about 5G? Check out our dedicated 5G hub   

Steve McCaskill is TechRadar Pro's resident mobile industry expert, covering all aspects of the UK and global news, from operators to service providers and everything in between. He is a former editor of Silicon UK and journalist with over a decade's experience in the technology industry, writing about technology, in particular, telecoms, mobile and sports tech, sports, video games and media. 

Latest in Phone & Communications
GlocalMe KeyTracker
When I tested this global tracker, it trounced the Apple AirTag in so many ways
Privacy Hero II
I tested this secure router and the bundled year of VPN service feels mostly like a marketing exercise
ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola
I reviewed the ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola and while it's not as fast as its predecessor, it's the superior phone in so many ways
FRITZ!Box 7690 WiFi 7 Router
FRITZ!Box tries to embrace both business and home customers with its new 7690 router
Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra Thermal
Other than screen reflection, I’m still looking for the downside to the Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra Thermal tablet
Unihertz Tank Pad 8849
Carrying the Unihertz Tank Pad 8849 provided me with a full workout
Latest in News
Google Gemini Flash 2.0 Images
I tried Gemini's new AI image generation tool - here are 5 ways to get the best art from Google's Flash 2.0
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could resurrect an intriguing camera feature
Eurocom Raptor X18
At $15,000, this massive 256GB RAM laptop makes Apple's MacBook Pro look affordable, tiny and very, very slow
Cristin Milioti in Black Mirror season 7
Netflix launches trailer for Black Mirror season 7, giving us a look at its first-ever sequel episode and an unexpected returning character
A graphic of the PC Gaming Show
Get ready for a bounty of PC games on June 8, as the PC Gaming show is back
A close up of The Daily podcast from Pocket Casts' web page
‘Podcasting shouldn’t be locked behind walled gardens’: Pocket Casts slams Spotify and makes its web player free to all