How Huawei won the PR war at Barcelona congress
The advent of new 5G technology dominated MWC Barcelona, while SA’s Rain announced the continent’s first 5G network
For years the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) was where handset manufacturers unveiled their flagship phones, the industry debated upcoming trends and, often, launched technologies. This year was slightly different as the long-simmering conflict over Chinese telecoms giant Huawei was thrust into the foreground. In the lead-up to what is the largest wireless conference in the world, there was endless speculation about the Trump administration’s trade war with China, and whether Huawei is indeed guilty of being a conduit for spying. But the biggest talking point was the expansive growth predicted for 5G. These new fifth-generation networks are seen as integral to the evolution of services for the fourth industrial revolution, including automated cars, robotics, and next-generation manufacturing. Like all previous technology upgrades, there is a fair amount of hype but also a fair degree of optimism about its potential. 5G offers wide wireless coverage with speeds that approximate f...
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