Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

QUALITY is a key differentiator for Chinese companies trying to tap into the wireless communication markets in the United States and Europe, according to William Graff, chairman of the TCB Council of the Federal Communications Commission and TCB global program manager at TüV Rheinland.

At a workshop dedicated to manufacturers, suppliers and retailers of wireless and Internet of Things (IOT) devices held in Shenzhen recently, Graff told the Shenzhen Daily that the most important barrier for Chinese companies to overcome is the perception of quality.

“There has been, certainly in the past, a lot of times when people have doubted the quality of products they see from China. But from what I’ve seen over the last couple of years, the differences are very small,” said Graff.

He added that for any company who is trying to get into either the European or the U. S. market, they need to put their emphasis upon the quality of the system, service and products.

Graff admitted that China probably has at least one foot ahead of the United States in the race in developing 5G wireless networks. “The biggest reason is because you have the ability to go and move much quicker than we do. In the United States, everything is profit-driven, and so if a [telecom] carrier doesn’t see any business case for something right away, they don’t move,” said Graff.

Impressed by the wireless products and solutions provided by major Chinese suppliers, such as Huawei, ZTE and the like, Graff applauded the work that these companies have done in implementing the necessary infrastructure for 5G networks.

Graff noted that while China is ready to grant 5G licenses for commercial use, no company in America has any wireless devices at the consumer level that are really 5G-compatible at the moment.

Nevertheless, Graff said he believes there are possibilities for potential cooperation in 5G networks between China and the U.S. and that 5G will bring profound changes to such industries as automobile, healthcare, manufacturing and shipping.

“The 5G world that I envision will certainly be the cornerstone for how we go and enter the world of self-driving automobiles. And I guess the most immediate thing I can see is 5G having the biggest influence on our transportation infrastructure,” said Graff.