Huawei and ZTE Phones May be Banned from the U.S.
January 11, 2019
If you bought a smartphone recently, then you know of the insane markup on the devices here in the U.S. With iPhones ranging from $600 – $1,200 and Android devices ranging from $400 – $1,000, owning a device is extremely expensive. Alongside every other bill in your life stacking up, how could someone justify spending a ton of money on a smart device that they are ultimately going to upgrade in a year or two?
The current answer: you suck it up and deal with it.
If you have been on YouTube at all you may know of the reviews by users who record themselves reviewing these phones in depth. Provided below is Unbox Therapy’s most recent review for the Huawei P20 Pro, covering all the specs and features of this inexpensive phone:
Unbox Therapy provides his analysis of the phone after using it daily for two weeks, emphasizing the advanced settings available to users for customization, large OLED screen, and crisp camera quality. After watching this video, you realize that this product isn’t just some cheap third-party knock-off, but a fully-fledged smartphone that can compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung.
Why Huawei?
As stated above, the overall cost of smartphones in the United States ranges from $400 – $1200 from our major approved retailers like Apple and Android. But if you are looking for a smartphone of the same quality and offerings of the same or similar features for under $300, then you should consider this Android-based device. A quick search on AliExpress, one of the largest marketplaces for drop shippers and those willing to wait a month for a cheap product, shows listings for these phones from their official retailer with devices ranging from under $100 to about $400, but with the quality of a $700 U.S Phone.
The Issue
As of late, news outlets have begun reporting on a possible ban on Huawei and ZTE devices issued by executive order in attempts to bar Chinese telecommunications providers, with speculation of this happening as early as January.
Although the order doesn’t specifically state Huawei or ZTE by name, the order is attempting to remove the two companies as options for public purchase due to the alleged entanglement with the Chinese government. The worry is that the Chinese government is using these devices to spy on the American population through the use of their phones.
The order itself would instruct the Commerce Department to block U.S. companies from purchasing equipment from international companies that post significant national security risks. This would be done by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Acts, which is a law that allows the President to regulate areas of commerce and ban certain companies or products from entering the U.S.
The Problem
The above seems to be a pretty standard response from an apparent risk from dealing with companies of foreign status – the only problem is the lack of proof that would provide the necessary justification to ban these companies. The largest concern that could be provided is a finger pointing back at us, stating that the Chinese government has been previously known for information gathering of those outside of their own country – but on our end, the U.S. is also known for doing the same thing.
The next large issue is the state of the telecommunications technical advancements in the U.S. with companies such as AT&T announcing the future of cell connection with a 5G connection. Providing this upgrade would require us to purchase parts from foreign manufacturers to allow the connection to work, as it would be impossible for us to manufacture and produce the products ourselves without a lengthy halt on advancement. There is also the issue that the cost to manufacture these phones in our country would require companies to impose a large premium on the finished product, changing that $700 price tag to somewhere near $1,000 for base model phones.
The speculation from some online would suggest the U.S. government is attempting to mitigate the competition of outside countries in attempts to push sales to companies within our economy. This way, we would favor phones from companies such as Apple and Samsung to circulate money within our economy as opposed to purchasing a phone from outside of our borders. Even though Huawei has previously attempted to enter our economy justly through providers like AT&T, the pressure put on them from the government since 2012 has dissuaded any retailer taking a chance of promoting this brand.
The Solution
The hard and honest answer is that there is no solution as of right now. With sides split down the middle, some believe that the U.S. consumer should be responsible for their own data and what companies they trust. Google and Facebook are still allowed to operate within the boundaries of the United States and collect more data than even the government in certain instances. There is an area of concern of the validity of these claims for keeping these companies out of the United States.
We’ll see in the coming months how the government will handle this situation, and how online consumers and influencers will play a part on the influence of the general population’s reception to these events.
