Hong Kong (CNN Business)The US-led offensive against Chinese tech firm Huawei is creating big problems for mobile operators as they start building the next generation of wireless networks.
香港（CNN）以美国为首针对华为的攻击，为开始建设下一代无线网络的运营商们带来了巨大的麻烦。
The United States is trying to persuade other countries not to allow Huawei equipment into new superfast 5G networks because it claims the gear could be used by the Chinese government for spying.
美国正在试图说服其他国家不要让华为设备进入新的超高速5G网络，因为美国声称该设备可能被中国政府用于间谍活动。
Huawei strongly denies the accusations. And it has already built up such a strong lead in 5G technology that it's practically irreplaceable for many wireless carriers that want to be among the first to offer the new services.
华为强烈否认这些指控。而且它已经在5G技术方面建立了强大的领先优势，对于希望成为首批提供这项新服务的无线运营商来说，华为几乎是不可替代的。
'Banning Huawei will create a vacuum that no one can fill in a timely fashion and may seriously impair 5G deployments worldwide,' said Stéphane Téral, a mobile telecom infrastructure expert at research firm IHS Markit. The uncertainty is particularly problematic for Europe, where Huawei was expected to play a key role in building 5G networks that the region's leaders say are vital for its economic future.
研究公司IHS Markit的移动电信基础设施专家斯特凡•特拉尔说：“禁止华为的进驻，将致使全球5G处于一个无人能及时填补的真空状态，可能会严重影响5G在全球的部署。”而这种不确定的因素，对于欧洲来说更加严重。欧洲领导人表示，5G对于欧洲的经济未来极为重要，而华为将在其中发挥关键作用。
The international rollout of 5G has become a front line in the broader clash over advanced technology between the United States and China that is reshaping the relationship between the world's top two economies.
5G技术在国际上的推广，已经成为中美两国先进技术冲突的前线，而这场冲突也在重塑世界两大经济体之间的关系。
The United States doesn't have a heavyweight global competitor to Huawei in telecommunications equipment. The Chinese firm's biggest rivals are Ericsson (ERIC) of Sweden and Nokia (NOK) of Finland. But they have struggled for years with losses and job cuts while Huawei has powered ahead, generating annual revenue of more than $100 billion, building a strong base in China and amassing intellectual property that will help determine the future of 5G.
在目前的美国电信领域，并没有能够与华为一争高下的竞争对手。对于华为而言，最大的竞争对手莫过于瑞典的爱立信（ERIC）和芬兰的诺基亚（NOK）。 但多年来，这两家公司一直在亏损和裁员中苦苦挣扎，而华为却一直在奋力前行，年营收超过1000亿美元，在中国建立了强大的基础，积累了知识产权，这有助于华为在5G未来的发展。
A Huawei event in Beijing showcasing new 5G products. The company is one of China's most successful global businesses.
华为在北京展示5G新产品的活动。该公司是中国最成功的全球企业之一
Unhappy mobile operators
不开心的移动运营商
Some top international mobile operators are warning that by shutting Huawei out of 5G networks, countries risk undermining their own tech capabilities. The new wave of wireless communications is expected to increase internet speeds as much as 100 times compared with 4G networks, and help power emerging technologies like smart cities and connected vehicles.
一些顶级国际移动运营商警告称，如果将华为的5G排除在外，可能会削弱各国的技术实力和发展进程。与4G网络相比，新一代的5G网络将会使无线通信技术提速100倍，将会为智能城市的发展提供更加便捷、迅速和稳定的动力。
Vodafone's (VOD) CEO Nick Read cautioned last month that a complete ban on all Huawei gear would substantially delay the availability of 5G. The mobile carrier has suspended the installation of the Chinese company's equipment in core networks in Europe while it speaks with authorities and the company.
沃达丰（VOD）首席执行官尼克里德上个月警告说，全面禁止所有华为设备将大大延迟5G的推出。该移动运营商已暂停在欧洲核心网络中安装这家中国公司的设备，同时与有关部门和该公司进行了沟通。
In August, Vodafone slammed the Australian government's decision to ban Huawei from providing 5G technology for networks there, saying the move 'fundamentally undermines Australia's 5G future.'
今年8月，沃达丰猛烈抨击澳大利亚政府决定禁止华为向该国网络提供5G技术的决定，称此举“从根本上破坏了澳大利亚的5G未来”。
UK telecom group BT's chief architect, Neil McRae, put the situation in stark terms late last year.
英国电信的首席架构师尼尔麦克雷去年年底就对这种情况进行了尖锐的描述。
'There is only one true 5G supplier right now, and that is Huawei,' he said at an industry event in London. 'The others need to catch up.'
“目前只有一家真正的5G供应商，那就是华为，”他在伦敦的一次行业活动上表示。“其他人需要迎头赶上。”
BT (BT) said in December that it won't include Huawei equipment in the heart of its planned 5G network, but will continue to use it for areas that are considered 'benign,' like the radio masts that connect wireless devices with the core network.
英国电信（BT）在去年12月表示，它不会将华为设备纳入其5G网络计划的核心，但会继续将其用于被视为“良性”的领域，比如将无线设备与核心网络连接起来的无线基站。
The head of BT's consumer brands told CNN Business last week that Huawei had given him no 'cause for concern' over the years.
英国电信的消费者品牌负责人上周告诉CNN商业频道，华为多年来没有给他任何“担忧的理由”。
But British officials have security concerns, and Huawei has promised to spend $2 billion to address them. In a letter last month to UK lawmakers, the Chinese company warned that the process will take three to five years to have tangible results, likening it to 'replacing components on a high-speed train in motion.'
但英国官员有安全顾虑，华为承诺投入20亿美元来解决这些问题。 在上月致英国议员的一封信中，华为警告称，这一过程将需要三到五年时间才能取得切实成果，并将其比作“更换正在运行的高速列车上的部件”。
Huawei's rivals may be a year behind
华为的竞争对手可能落后一年
The situation should have Ericsson and Nokia cheering, but experts say the two companies may not be very well positioned to capitalize on Huawei's difficulties.
爱立信和诺基亚应该为这种情况感到高兴，但专家说，这两家公司可能没有充分地利用华为的困境。
'It goes without saying that other leading vendors stand to benefit in the short-term,' according to analysts at Dell'Oro Group, a market research firm that specializes in telecoms infrastructure analysis.
“毋庸置疑，其他领先的供应商短期内也会受益，”市场研究公司Dell'Oro Group专门从事电信基础设施分析的分析师表示。
Ericsson and Nokia both declined to comment on their competitors. Instead, they touted their advancements on 5G in statements to CNN Business.
爱立信和诺基亚均拒绝对竞争对手发表评论。 相反，他们在CNN采访时，吹嘘了自己在5G方面取得的进展。
Nokia claims it holds 'the industry's only end-to-end 5G portfolio that is available globally,' while Ericsson said it has publicly announced more 5G contracts with operators 'than any other vendor.'
诺基亚声称，它拥有“业内唯一一个在全球范围内可用的端到端5G产品组合”，而爱立信表示，它已公开宣布与运营商签订了“比任何其他供应商”都多的5G合同。
A 5G-themed Ericsson campus in Belgium. Last month, the company posted its first annual sales growth since 2013, crediting it to 'increased 5G demand' among US operators.
爱立信位于比利时的5G主题园区。 上个月，该公司公布了自2013年以来的首次年度销售增长，将其归功于美国运营商“5G需求的增长”。
A 5G-themed Ericsson campus in Belgium. Last month, the company posted its first annual sales growth since 2013, crediting it to 'increased 5G demand' among US operators.
爱立信位于比利时的5G主题园区。上月，该公司公布了自2013年以来的首次年度销售增长，将其归功于美国运营商“5G需求的增长”。
But Huawei claims its 5G technology is at least a year ahead of its rivals — and many experts agree.
但华为声称，其5G技术至少领先竞争对手一年 – 许多专家也同意这一点。
'From my conversations with carriers, they've found that Huawei is far more advanced than the other two right now,' said Dexter Thillien, a senior tech analyst at research firm Fitch Solutions.
研究公司惠誉的高级技术分析师德克斯特·蒂林表示“在我与一些运营商交流时，他们都表示华为现在的技术比另外两家先进得多。”
The battle for Europe
欧洲之战
Executives at Nokia and Ericsson may also be treading carefully in public for fear of angering the Chinese government and being cut off from its vast market. Nokia, in particular, employs about 15,000 people in China, more than double its headcount of 6,000 in its home country of Finland.
在诺基亚和爱立信的高管们也可能会在公开场合谨慎行事，以免激怒中国政府，被迫切断与庞大中国市场的联系。 特别是诺基亚在中国拥有约15,000名员工，是其本国芬兰6,000名员工的两倍多。
'Their presence there is very, very important for them,' Thillien said. 'So I don't think they'll go publicly and go and say things like, 'Pick us, because we're European and we're more secure.''
“他们在中国的表现对他们来说非常重要，”蒂林说。“所以我认为他们不会公开说，‘选我们吧，因为我们是欧洲人，我们更安全。’”
Even if governments don't block Huawei outright, the possibility of restrictions is casting a shadow over the Chinese company as mobile operators make investment decisions.
即使政府不直接封杀华为，在移动运营商做出投资决定之际，限制的可能性也给这家中国公司蒙上了一层阴影。
A Nokia booth at a mobile conference in Shanghai. Nokia and Ericsson are said to be treading carefully around the controversy surrounding Huawei for fear of prompting a backlash in China, a key market.
上海移动会议上的诺基亚展位。据称，诺基亚和爱立信在围绕华为的争议上行事谨慎，以免在关键市场中国引发反弹。
'It's probably better technologically — but technology's only one side of the argument,' Thillien said. He pointed to Europe as 'the big battle right now' for Huawei.
“这在技术上可能更好 - 但技术只是争论的一方面，”蒂林说。 他指出，欧洲是华为“目前的一场大战”。
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said last week that 'there are big discussions about Huawei' in her country. 'We need to talk to China to ensure that companies do not simply give up all data that is used to the Chinese state,' she said, adding that 'safeguards' were needed.
德国总理安格拉·默克尔上周表示，德国“正在就华为展开重大讨论”。她表示:“我们需要与中国对话，以确保华为公司不会将数据交给中国政府。”但她补充称，需要“保护措施”。
'This situation has created a big bump in Europe's 5G roadmap, while other regions like the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are watching closely,' Téral said.
“这种情况给欧洲的5G路线图带来了巨大的冲击，同时中东、非洲和拉丁美洲等其他地区正在密切关注，”特拉尔说。
'In the meantime, China and the US are chugging along' with their own rollouts, he added.
他补充说：“与此同时，中国和美国也在稳步推进”自己的计划”。
A Huawei store in Berlin. Germany and other countries are stepping up scrutiny of the Chinese company as the US government warns against using its equipment in 5G networks.
华为在柏林的一家门店。随着美国政府警告不要在5G网络中使用华为设备，德国和其它国家正加大对这家中国公司的审查力度。
The race for 5G
5G的竞争
Researchers have good reason to believe in Huawei's technical prowess.
研究人员有充分的理由相信华为的技术实力。
It's one of the world's biggest holders of 5G patents and has contributed most to the effort to establish an international standard for 5G, according to IPlytics, a market intelligence firm that tracks tech trends.
据追踪技术趋势的市场情报公司IPlytics称，中国是全球最大的5G专利持有者之一，为建立5G的国际标准做出了最大贡献。
Experts at the Eurasia Group say the standard-setting process 'will determine not just how 5G networks are built, but also how money flows between participants.' Companies that contribute heavily to developing the standard will receive royalty payments from other telecom players, which 'in turn, will help fund future innovation,' the analysts wrote in a November report.
欧亚集团的专家表示，标准制定过程“不仅将决定5G网络的建设方式，还将决定参与者之间的资金流动方式”。 分析师在11月份的一份报告中写道，那些为制定标准做出巨大贡献的公司将从其他电信运营商那里获得专利使用费，“反过来将有助于为未来的创新提供资金”。
Some experts, however, caution that it's too soon to say who's really leading on 5G, mainly because definitions of the technology have yet to be finalized.
然而，一些专家警告说，现在就说谁是5G技术的真正领导者还为时过早，主要是因为这项技术的定义尚未最终确定。
'5G is still at the trial stage,' said Zhenshan Zhong, who specializes in emerging technology in China for research firm IDC. 'Before the test results come out, I don't think anyone can say for definite whether one vendor is actually going to be stronger than the other.'
“5G仍处于试验阶段，”研究公司IDC中国新兴技术专家钟振山说。“在测试结果出来之前，我认为没有人能确切地说，一家供应商真的会比另一家更强大。”
Huawei's financial muscle
华为的财力
Huawei's size and financial firepower enable it to dwarf its rivals' spending on efforts to come up with new tech.
华为的规模和财力使得竞争对手在研发新技术上的支出相形见绌。
In 2017, it invested more than $13 billion in research and development, topping Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL), according to consulting firm PwC. In comparison, Nokia says it spent $5.6 billion on research and development that year, while Ericsson typically allocates around $4.4 billion each year.
据咨询公司普华永道（PwC）的数据显示，2017年，华为在研发方面的投入超过130亿美元，超过了微软（MSFT）和苹果（AAPL）。相比之下，诺基亚称其当年在研发上的支出为56亿美元，而爱立信则只有约44亿美元。
Ericsson and Nokia's 'financial troubles and strategy troubles over the last few years' may have weakened their focus on 5G, Thillien said.
蒂林说，爱立信和诺基亚“过去几年的财务问题及战略问题”可能削弱了它们对5G的关注。
A Nokia research and development lab in Canada. The Finnish company has undergone waves of restructuring in recent years.
诺基亚在加拿大的研发实验室。这家芬兰公司近年来经历了一波又一波的重组。
Huawei has the added advantage of being the key player in its vast home market.
华为的另一个优势是，它是中国庞大国内市场的主要参与者。
Worldwide spending on 5G will balloon from $660 million in 2018 to $70.9 billion in 2022, according to IDC. China alone is expected to account for nearly half of all global 5G expenditure this year, it said.
国际数据公司IDC的数据显示，全球在5G上的支出将从2018年的6.6亿美元飙升至2022年的709亿美元，而预计仅中国一国就将占据全球5G支出近一半。
Huawei's ability to offer more than just network equipment gives it another advantage. It's one of the world's top three smartphone makers, and it also provides cloud computing services and makes artificial intelligence chips.
华为不仅仅提供网络设备，还有其他优势。它是世界三大智能手机制造商之一，还能提供云计算服务并制造人工智能芯片。
'Given how all-encompassing 5G is going to be, this 'total-telecom' approach is powerful,' said Peter Richardson, a director of tech strategies at research firm Counterpoint. 'No other industry player is doing anything similar.'
研究公司Counterpoint的技术战略主管彼得·理查森认为：“考虑到5G无所不含，（华为）这种‘全电信’的方法是十分强大的。没有任何同行像华为一样在做类似的事情。”
（责任编辑：李露）
