Samsung and its Global 5G Equipment Market

Samsung Electronics is now considering leading the global 5G equipment market. It made it possible to commercialize in Korea its 3.5-gigahertz band 5G operating equipment from March and its 28-gigahertz band 5G operating system to be available in the United States starting in the third quarter of this year. South Korea’s plans will debut on first of December at the same time with the 5G transmission and full-scale commercialization from March 2019.

Samsung’s goal consists of producing the 3.5-gigahertz band equipment before December.

The company’s equipment measures are 30cm wide and 60cm long, and it is considered the smallest 3.5-gigahertz band equipment ever launched.

In order for users to enjoy a wide range of content, Samsung uses the beamforming technique.

Samsung’s conglomerate plans have the goal to maintain its lead in the domestic market and improve its global market share from 3 percent to 20 percent with the two versions of 5G equipment.

China’s Huawei will have a new rival as Samsung future move will be a counter-attack, so the South Korean company invited Korean reporters to a press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai last month to brag about their low prices of its equipment and dispel worries about the vulnerability of the security.

Vice-chairman Kwon Young-soo, LG Uplus, praised Huawei’s product after visiting its booth at the event.

The observers present at the event made an assumption that the mobile carriers in Korea might adopt Huawei’s system. Rumors that Samsung’s 3.5-gigahertz-band 5G equipment will not be developed continue spreading.

However, those rumors were dispelled by Samsung after unveiling its 5G equipment as well as emphasizing its technological supremacy. The South Korean company has just signed a contract with America’s largest mobile carrier, Verizon, for introducing its 28-gigahertz band equipment to seven cities in the US.

Decisions about Samsung’s equipment are still to be made by mobile carriers in Korea. Other companies such as SK Telecom, LG Uplus, and KT are thinking about adopting Huawei’s equipment to cut costs.

The security vulnerabilities in Huawei’s products are the main concern of the Korean consumers. However, in using the Chinese equipment, the companies are expected to face difficulties.

The lawmakers and the Government both are supporters of Samsung having the possibility to weigh more on the mobile carriers.

A rep. of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, Shin Yong-Hyeon, does not approve of the usage of Huawei’s equipment, saying, “The price should not be the factor to make the decision on 5G equipment.”