Huawei is the second-largest smartphone brand in the world and also the largest telecom equipment maker. At “Lighting Up Shenzhen, a 5G-powered Smart City” press conference held today, Guo Ping, Huawei Rotating Chairman, said there are already 100 5G users worldwide.
He also revealed that 92 carriers have already deployed their 5G networks across the world. With the widespread adoption of 5G network, the company is now working on deploying industrial solutions built on 5G connectivity.
Huawei to transform Shenzhen into a 5G-powered smart city
According to him, commercial success will primarily be based on collaboration between five major tech domains — connectivity, cloud, computing, industry applications, and pervasive AI. With these industrial solutions, the company aims to make Shenzhen from “a city with 5G connectivity to a city of 5G intelligence.” If you didn’t know, Shenzhen is home to Huawei’s global headquarters.
Obviously, Shenzhen will be an example for Huawei to showcase its 5G-based solutions. With low latency, high data speeds, and superior reliability, 5G is the key enabler for a future smart city. According to Huawei, these technologies are already being implemented in smart grids, smart ports, smart airports, and smart factories.
There are already 100 million 5G users worldwide
Additionally, the company is already providing smart solutions for improving efficiency at Shenzhen Airport. With facial recognition-based access control, there is very little need for manual passenger identification. This is just one example of how these solutions can help in building a smart city.
Huawei also stresses the importance of integrating data across various industries and government agencies. Nevertheless, few of these principles seem more suited for a country like China than for a democratic country. Huawei claims a centrally-located command center with support for scenario-based services and intelligent decision-making needed for 5G-powered smart cities.
The company will work with carriers and other partners to build a network capable of operating a 5G-enabled smart city. Moreover, Huawei will be using its OpenLabs to distribute the capabilities to its partners. The coronavirus pandemic could delay 5G deployment in most parts of the world.
On the other hand, China is pushing for a faster rollout of 5G connectivity. Huawei along with Honor has captured 74 percent of the 5G market share in China, according to Counterpoint Research. With 46 percent of worldwide sales, China is the largest contributor to 5G sales in 2019.
It will be facing hard times in the smartphone market, with the chipset ban coming into effect on September 15 and the recently expired temporary general license for working with US companies.