The Truth about 5G: What I learned at the ICDS

About the author: Maya Guzdar ’22 is an FSI Global Policy Intern with the International Centre for Defence and Security. She is currently an International Relations major at Stanford University.

What if I told you that your iPhone was lying to you?

Seriously.

Look in the top right hand corner, and you’ll likely see the insignia: “5Ge.”

But what is 5G, and why is everyone obsessed with it?

Short answer: it is not what’s in the top right hand corner of your phone screen.

5G is fifth generation technology for cellular networks. It began rollout in 2019 across the world. 5G has higher bandwidth than its predecessor 4G, which will allow for significantly faster download speeds, and near zero latency (lag) in some areas. This zero lag will also make possible new applications in the internet of things (basically a network of devices that can communicate to each other without human to computer contact). With this low lag time comes the possibility for technological innovations that cannot afford even a millisecond of lag time: self-driving cars, remote surgeries, or automation.

The media often refers to 5G development as “The race to 5G,” but during my time with Estonia’s International Center for Defense and Security, I’ve learned that the path to 5G development is far more complex.

For starters, that 5Ge on the top right of your phone screen? That’s another way to write 4Ge+, a faster version of 4G that’s nowhere near 5G. Phone companies are using the notation to make it look like your phone is using 5G (and some are getting sued for it).

At ICDS, I’ve been researching Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications giant responsible for the cheapest 5G infrastructure out there. Although Huawei materials are already present in many countries’ 4G networks, a debate over the safety of the equipment being used in 5G networks has erupted.

The U.S., spearheaded by the Trump administration, has launched an anti-Huawei campaign for 5G networks. Huawei, as a Chinese corporation, is bound by Chinese law to provide the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with any information related to national security.

Huawei, with much backing from the CCP, has launched a counter campaign. Europe has been caught in the middle.

How different states respond reveal much about geopolitical tensions present in Europe.

In the Baltic states, Estonia and Latvia have elected to ban Huawei, heeding their U.S. ally’s warning. This is mostly due to the strong Trans-Atlantic defense partnership forged between the U.S. and the region, which neighbors Russia. Yet in other areas of Europe, such as Germany, France and Spain, countries claim that they haven’t seen any evidence of foul play.

Yet the largest takeaway I’ve gotten from my research is that the decision to ban Huawei is not all black and white. A solution known as openRAN networks has been developed. openRAN networks are 5G networks that are built with varying integration from different providers. With openRAN, software could be used from Qualcomm, an American company, hardware from Nokia, and the RAN from Huawei. With this method, pre-existing Huawei hardware can be kept in networks safely.

My research with the ICDS has taught me about careful research, paying attention to the details, and seeing between the lines.

You can read my official brief here: https://icds.ee/en/chinas-sovereignty-and-internet-governance/