Wu Hequan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: There are still three fatal problems with 5G at present

The communications field has always been the weakest link in China's scientific research. Since the 2G era, the United States has dominated the development of the communications field. We have to pay a large amount of patent fees every year. The turning point came from Huawei. Huawei's independently developed 5G has achieved "overtaking on curves" and provided the most advanced 5G technology. China has thus reversed its disadvantages in the communications field.

But precisely because Huawei's 5G is too "edgy" that the United States' position in the communications field has been challenged, so a series of targeted measures have followed. Under repeated suppression, Huawei has survived with its advanced technology, but it has long been "battered". Under the persuasion of some people, Huawei's layout in Europe has been restricted, and its 5G chip supply channels have been cut off. Huawei's Kirin chips have been discontinued. In order to ease the pressure on chip inventory, it had to sell the Honor business that it had cultivated.

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Huawei has survived such difficulties. From the first quarter to the second quarter, Huawei's 5G market share was far ahead. However, after the European market was restricted, most of the market was divided up by Ericsson and Nokia. The number of orders for these two companies has exceeded 100, and their market share is also growing. Huawei and ZTE are facing a common fate. Since the third quarter, their market share has continued to decline. Currently, the market share between Huawei and the second-ranked Ericsson is only 2.1 percentage points apart. Huawei will face greater challenges in the future.

One wave has not yet subsided, another wave has risen

At the previous Big Data Summit, many experts pointed out the shortcomings of 5G. Among them, Academician Wu Hequan bluntly said: "Currently, 5G still has three fatal problems: unstable technology, high application costs, and inability to generate revenue."

Many people think that the core of the next three years should be to continuously improve 5G-related technologies. However, this is not the case. At such a critical moment, Li Deren, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, sounded a warning. Surprisingly, what he mentioned was indeed about 6G. He said: "We do have a great advantage in 5G, but the United States is ahead of us in 6G in the sky. We must always be vigilant."

Huawei and ZTE are once again called upon to take on the responsibility

At present, the most important thing for Huawei and ZTE is to improve the 5G network as soon as possible and apply it to real life more quickly. This is the significance of the birth of 5G. However, they are currently facing severe tests. Not only are they subject to great restrictions in foreign markets, but they are also ordered to start developing 6G. This means that they need to spend more energy and funds. They should not be distracted at such a critical juncture, but in order to maintain their leading edge in the communications field, they have to do so.

The academician's appeal was also recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Liu Liehong, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at the annual meeting: "We must strengthen the research and development of core technologies such as chips, reserve more advanced technologies, and vigorously promote the vision and demand research for 6G networks while promoting 5G technology innovation."

Such an official announcement is bound to be surprising. It seems that 6G is the core of the future communications field. However, experts have previously stated that according to the development practices of previous communication networks, even-numbered generations are just supplements to odd-numbered generations. The 5G framework has been completed. Logically speaking, 6G is just an improvement on the original basis. However, today's 6G has become a competition for space networks, and it is obvious that they are no longer on the same level.

But China is not without advantages in the research and development of 6G. Although we do not have an advantage in either satellite orbit or spectrum, we have the most advanced 5G technology, and Huawei has the largest number of 5G patents in the world. Experts have previously confirmed that it is impossible to bypass 5G and go directly to 6G, which is like a high-rise building without a foundation.

However, with the successive statements made by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, we can also find the problem. It is impossible to always maintain the leading edge in technology in the field of scientific research. If we relax a little, this advantage will no longer exist. In addition to the United States, Japan has also invested 50 billion yen in the layout of 6G networks. Therefore, while improving the 5G network, if we want to maintain our leading advantage in the communications field, we must also start research and development of 6G networks at the same time.

Such a difficult task has once again fallen on Huawei and ZTE. Currently, they are the only ones in China capable of improving 5G and developing 6G. 5G and 6G should go hand in hand. Huawei has no technical problems. The only concern now is the chip supply factor.

Huawei has taken on everything on its own, carrying the responsibility and mission. Domestic companies should work together to help Huawei overcome this difficulty, so that China can continue to maintain its leading edge in the communications field. What do you think of this?