April 22, 2019
China-based technology company announces four new products as U.S. renews allegations of collusion with Chinese intelligence agencies
Channelnomics Staff
Following the close of its annual analyst summit, Huawei announced four new offerings and a technology strategy that places significant bets on intelligent networking products that incorporate next-generation wireless and artificial intelligence features. The “intelligence era” announcement came as the U.S. government renewed its allegations that the China-based company is funded by the Chinese government’s intelligence agencies.
The Lowdown: Huawei says it’s looking to differentiate itself in the networking market by incorporating more Wi-Fi 6, 5G, and AI into its products. The “AI to IP” strategy manifests in the forthcoming launch of four new network engines that will provide enterprises with new capabilities in smart networking and business intelligence.
The Details: The four new networking engines are AirEngine, CloudEngine, NetEngine, and HiSecEngine.
> AirEngine: Based on 5G experience and technology, AirEngine is Huawei’s first Wi-Fi 6 commercial product that extends the coverage area by 50%, shortens the Wi-Fi network latency to 10 milliseconds, and achieves an optimal mobile experience.
> CloudEngine: A new series of campus switches that include embedded AI chips and algorithms to minimize packet loss, provide fast performance, and reduce operating expense up to 40%.
> NetEngine: A 5G services building-block product, the high-capacity metro routers are SRv6 ready, offer full-lifecycle intelligent automation, provide intelligent connections and application-level SLA assurance for many vertical industry applications, and improve SD-WAN performance to three times the industry average.
> HiSecEngine: A high-performance network security engine that accurately identifies unknown threats to ensure always-on core services. It provides an intelligent defense system to protect the fully connected digital world.
The Impact: The new intelligent networking products and strategy will likely come under scrutiny as the U.S. and other western governments continue to press that Huawei collaborates with Chinese intelligence services, providing them with access for corporate espionage and nation-state-level spying.
The Central Intelligence Agency — in collaboration with the “Five Eyes” intelligence collaborative that includes the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand — issued a report stating that Huawei receives financial backing from Chinese intelligence agencies. The report says Huawei is backed by the China National Security Commission, the People’s Liberation Army, and a third branch of the Chinese intelligence sector.
Huawei declined to comment on the allegations, but previously stated that it has no formal ties to the Chinese government.
Background: Huawei continues to operate in the shadow of U.S.-led allegations that it’s an extension of China’s intelligence apparatus. While several western countries ban or scrutinize Huawei products out of security concerns, the China-based company continues to thrive on a global basis, providing technology and infrastructure innovations powering digital transformation. Huawei announced its first-quarter financials, saying revenue jumped 39% over the same quarter last year to 179.7 yuan ($26.8 billion) with a net operating profit of 8%.
The Buzz: “Huawei has more than 20 years of expertise in the IP field. We are committed to building differentiated innovative products and continuously applying digital technologies, such as 5G, cloud computing, and AI to IP networks,” said Kevin Hu, president of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line. “We believe that the intelligent IP networks built with the four engine series products can continuously empower users with business intelligence.”
