Don't Buy Chinese! They Spy! By American! Umm...

[crashhelmet]

With wireless companies competing against each other to build bigger, faster networks they were looking to the Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE to do it on the cheap. They had built the networks and devices in southeast Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world for their network providers. They started building here, but then the US Government stepped in and said that they were a risk of national security and the privacy of every day Americans

Congressional report labels Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE threats to national security

So companies spent millions of dollars replacing equipment or breaching contracts to get government approval. In fact, it almost cost Japanese company Softbank their chance to buy Sprint.

Huawei Loser in SoftBank-Sprint Deal Over Alleged Spying

And then the NSA scandals started hitting.

And now companies, both foreign and domestic, are afraid to buy American.

Cisco’s disastrous quarter shows how NSA spying could freeze US companies out of a trillion-dollar opportunity

Softbank/Sprint is rolling out all South Korean made Samsung equipment
Verizon is replacing Cisco with French made Alcatel-Lucent and also using Swedish company Ericsson.
AT&T is using Lucent-Alcatel and Ericsson
T-Mobile is using Finnish company Nokia-Siemens and Ericsson

Cox Communications, a major US cable/internet/phone provider, is trying to launch their own wireless service using LTE technology and is using Huawei despite the fears. industry talking heads think they're taking the risk because they're starting small and can afford the loss if the network itself fails.

[Greenday]

Well, the Chinese government is known to be heavy in espionage. Multiple times they have been caught in international cases of spying by having secret programs built into the stuff they sell to other countries.

[Andara Bledin]

Chinese actually puts parts in the stuff manufactured to spy.

The NSA just builds programs that spy on everyone regardless of what they use.

The NSA problem is far, far worse than what the Chinese do, but at least you're not paying for the privilege of being spied upon.

[Duelist925]

Chinese actually puts parts in the stuff manufactured to spy.

The NSA just builds programs that spy on everyone regardless of what they use.

The NSA problem is far, far worse than what the Chinese do, but at least you're not paying for the privilege of being spied upon.

Doesn't matter. Appearance is what matters in this regard. It's all about trust, and the polite fiction.

Everyone knows that everyone spies, but the polite fiction is that you don't spy on your allies.

That fiction's been broken, so the trust is gone, and fear abounds.

[crashhelmet]

The problem with the Huawei and ZTE accusations is that they're based on possibilities and fears. Not actual proof. The other part of it is anger over non-disclosure about their business in other countries, like Iran. Huawei has asked for evidence of spying and the US government has not responded. They can't respond because, as I said earlier, it's all based on fear and possibilities.

Personally, I've experienced more trouble with Huawei equipment than I have with Samsung, Motorola, or Cisco combined. In that sense, I'm glad that Huawei is getting forced out.

I just find it hypocritical and ironic that this situation has come about and I feel sorry for my former employer (Cisco) suffering because of the exact same fears and possibilities our government is accusing someone else of.

[Andara Bledin]

It would go better with China if there wasn't such rampant corruption in their supply chains.

One of our customers was shut down a couple of years back when the owner was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 25 years for importing Chinese parts from his wife back in China and then counterfeiting the markings to make them appear to be from other manufacturers. His wife, similarly, will be jailed should she ever set foot on US soil.

The worst part is that the parts they were selling were likely from trusted manufacturers but had failed QC tests and were then mandated for destruction. This particular issue is of major importance considering that our company is part of the aerospace industry with a partial focus on mil-spec parts.

[Bloodsoul]

…I could really go for some sweet and sour chicken, now.

[HYHYBT]

I have some in the freezer. How do I upload it?