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Why Huawei smartphones are locked out of the US

Why Huawei smartphones are locked out of the US

Heading into this year, Huawei's prospects for finally gaining a foothold in the US appeared to be brightening.

The world's third-largest smartphone maker had just launched its latest flagship, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, and it was garnering favorable reviews. Speculation had bubbled up that Huawei was poised to announce a partnership with AT&T, the second-largest carrier in the US -- a coup for the Chinese telecommunications giant.

Then CES 2018 happened.

Huawei's latest smartphones aren't coming to the US.

Josh Miller

Even before Huawei's planned keynote address at the conference, word got out that the rumored partnership with AT&T wouldn't happen, reportedly due to political pressure. So when Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business, got on stage at CES, he spent nearly an hour talking about an already launched product like it was new. At the end, he acknowledged the lack of a carrier was a hit to the company, which would sell its smartphone through retail partners like Amazon and Best Buy.

Days later, reports emerged that Verizon had similarly dropped plans to sell a Huawei smartphone, again because of political pressure. On Wednesday, CNET broke the news that Best Buy would stop selling all Huawei products -- including laptops and smartwatches -- in the coming weeks.

Just in time for a new smartphone, right?

On Tuesday, Huawei unveiled the P20 smartphone and the higher-end P20 Pro, which both pack an insane amount of camera technology. The company, however, confirmed that the P20 wouldn't be heading to the US, despite holding briefings with the press here.

"We know that most of the publications have a global readership," said a spokeswoman. "We thought it was important to make sure you were aware of the latest from Huawei"

The result: Americans will miss out on the chance to buy some of the flashiest new Android smartphones, including one that packs an intriguing Leica triple camera.

How did we get here? Let's do a breakdown of the drama.

Remind me again, what's Huawei? 

Huawei (pronounced wah-way) got its start selling cheap Android smartphones in China, but has since expanded throughout the world with high-end offerings. It's among the world's largest telecommunications companies, building network infrastructure gear, mobile processors and, yes, smartphones.

It's the third-largest smartphone vendor behind Samsung and Apple, according to Gartner.

One of its newest smartphones, the Mate 10 Pro, is smart enough to drive a Porsche for a little while.

So what's the problem?

It's all about national security. The US government has expressed concern that Huawei might be spying on us through its products, specifically its telecommunications equipment. In 2012, a House Intelligence Committee report detailed concerns that both Huawei and ZTE, a fellow Chinese vendor, pose a threat to national security. US companies were banned from buying Huawei equipment. 

On Monday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai proposed new rules that would bar broadband companies from using a government subsidy program to buy telecom equipment from companies that pose a national security threat. Though the FCC didn't name any companies or countries, Pai had previously written a letter to lawmakers sharing his concerns about espionage threats from Huawei.

But what about Huawei smartphones?

At the time, the committee members specifically said the threat didn't include its smartphones.

At the time?

Last month, the heads of the FBI, CIA and NSA all expressed their concerns about the risks that Huawei and ZTE posed. They also warned against buying the companies' phones, which added a new wrinkle to the story.

Where does this concern come from?

The source of much of the trepidation comes from Huawei founder and Chairman Ren Zhengfei, who was formerly with the Chinese military. Huawei has downplayed his military background, focusing on his ability to take $2,500 in 1987 and turn it into a multibillion-dollar telecommunications juggernaut today.

Still, the perception problem is likely to persist.

"The problems that Huawei is having with the US government are unlikely to blow over anytime soon," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Global Data.

So are the phones safe?

That's incredibly hard to say with any certainty, which is the core dilemma that Huawei faces. The rest of the world doesn't seem to have a problem with the company. The only exception is Australia, which previously barred Huawei products, but ultimately revoked its ban. Still, the government blocked the company from working on its national broadband network.

Huawei boasts relationships with major carriers, corporations and consumers in more than 170 countries. "We have earned the trust of our partners across the global value chain," said a spokesman.

Still, the comments of US government officials leave you wondering what they know that we don't know.

Does politics play into this?

Perhaps, but there's no real way of knowing. The flare-up of anti-Huawei activity coincides with President Donald Trump last week imposing an estimated $50 billion in tariffs on China, which followed new aluminum and steel tariffs from earlier this month.

Keep in mind, this is also the White House that signed an executive order to block Broadcom's planned $117 billion blockbuster acquisition of Qualcomm because of the perceived national security threat posed by Singapore-based Broadcom buying San Diego-based Qualcomm.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, which issued its recommendation to Trump, pointed to Huawei as a company that could threaten the US' influence over 5G wireless technology. 

"Without carrier or even big-box retail distribution, it is basically impossible to sell premium smartphones in the US, and the political pressure to keep Huawei phones [out] is clearly rising as the US and China edge toward a trade war," Greengart said. 

What about ZTE?

ZTE is an odd one because it often gets roped into the conversation with Huawei. Yet unlike with its Chinese rival, US carriers do sell ZTE phones. ZTE budget phones are a favorite of the prepaid service providers, and AT&T sells its foldable Axon M smartphone.

ZTE denies any wrongdoing and argues that it's "collateral damage" in the scrutiny over Huawei. The company points to the US resources and components that go into its products.

Well, if Huawei phones are safe enough for everyone else, that's good enough for me. Where do I buy one?

Huawei still sells its products through Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg and B&H. Best Buy will stop selling its products in the coming weeks. So if you want to see Huawei smartphones, laptops and smartwatches in person, you may want to check a local Best Buy out while you can.

iHate: CNET looks at how intolerance is taking over the internet.

Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility.

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Yes, I'm Autistic. No, I'm Not a STEM Savant

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Yes, I'm Autistic. No, I'm Not a STEM Savant

This story is part of Mysteries of the Brain, CNET's deep dive into the human brain's infinite complexities.

Hire them, and you'll have walking supercomputers on your hands: near-infinite processing power and perfect conformity to rules. Sure, they'll short-circuit in social situations and overheat on occasion. But aside from that, they're perfect robots who won't exhibit those bothersome human emotions that can stifle their usefulness. 

They are the future of Silicon Valley: Einstein, Gates and Zuckerberg, all rolled into one. As long as you keep them tucked away behind monitors where they can't cause trouble, they'll be your company's greatest assets. 

They're the picture of autism. 

And they're not real -- no matter how badly companies want them to be.

April marked Autism Acceptance Month here in the US, where more than 1 out of 50 adults have autism, according to an estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

I am one of them. I've spent 22 years navigating a world that views my autism as simultaneously a burden to be stamped out and a commodity to be taken advantage of. Though most of us with autism want to be employed, ignorant attitudes about the disability pervade workplaces, making them less accessible for us. 

The psychologists who knew me as a toddler would consider it a miracle I'm even employed in the first place.

To be sure, companies have made commendable progress in recent years thanks to advocacy from autistic people and our allies -- and I feel fortunate to work with caring folks who are helping to foster an environment that supports my needs. Some companies have started employee resource groups, consulted autistic people in making their workplaces more accessible and even cultivated hiring programs to train neurodivergent workers. 

But these wonderful steps will only go so far when popular misconceptions about autism still permeate workplace culture and guide policy in less-than-accessible directions.

Pigeonholed and misunderstood

The psychologists who knew me as a toddler would consider it a miracle I'm even employed in the first place. I was diagnosed at age 3 with Asperger's Syndrome, a neurological and developmental condition that's nowadays classified as simply autism spectrum disorder. (That change in terminology is a good thing: Austrian autism researcher Hans Asperger was shown to have collaborated with the Nazi regime.) 

Researchers aren't sure what causes autism. I struggled to interact with my preschool peers, "melted down" when switching from one activity to another, and sobbed in grocery stores because the fluorescent lights felt like daggers in my eyes. "What time is it?" my dad would ask me. "Wednesday," I'd respond. It's not that I didn't know the answer, it's that I didn't understand the question due to my auditory processing difficulties. 

Doctors told my parents I'd never be able to drive or live independently. "Mary often appears to be staring through you rather than looking at you," reads one preschool teacher's remark in my file. "During free-choice time, she just sits in the middle of the floor and stares." 

CNET Associate Editor Mary King, a 22-year-old autistic woman, works at her desk in the Charlotte, North Carolina, headquarters of Red Ventures, CNET's parent company. On some days, parts of the office are still relatively empty due to the pandemic.

Anna Throckmorton/Red Ventures

I'm exceptionally lucky my loving parents had the resources to send me to occupational and speech therapy, which were critical in teaching me how to speak, interact with others and handle my sensory challenges. Like many autistic people, especially those socialized as women, I observed my neurotypical peers and learned to "mask": putting on a manufactured personality to hide my autistic traits, even as it exhausted me to the point of tears by the end of the day. 

By the time I was about 10, I reached a point where the untrained eye couldn't clock me as autistic. I excelled at school and standardized tests, especially in the humanities. Then I'd go home and shut down, drained from the masking and sensory overload. When my parents would show my teachers my diagnosis and ask for a simple accommodation -- like the option for me to go sit in the school library for a few minutes to calm my overstimulated brain -- they would respond with dismay, disbelief and outright dismissal because I didn't match their preconceived notions about autism.

Read more stories in CNET's ongoing series Mysteries of the Brain. 

As a result, I'm all too familiar with the popular idea of what autism looks like. We're all male. White. We're either deemed high-functioning, perfect performers with savant-level STEM abilities that companies can harness for profit, or we're pigeonholed as low-functioning and written off altogether because we aren't "useful." In addition to arguing that autism "functioning labels" do more harm than good, journalist Eric Garcia, who is himself on the spectrum, identifies these as the two myths that plague autistic people in the workforce.

"These narratives put the onus on autistic people to find a super skill that will make them an asset to employers rather than forcing employers to become more accepting of autistic workers," Garcia writes in his 2021 book We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation.

Autistic workers need acceptance and support from our employers, Garcia and others stress, regardless of how our autism manifests. Autism spectrum disorder involves difficulties with sensory processing, communication and executive functioning, with the key word here being "spectrum." (Here's a great comic explaining how the autism spectrum is better described as a spider graph than a straight line.) 

It looks different from person to person, and studies haven't found a consistent autistic brain composition. Our challenges and abilities vary greatly. Most autistic people, myself included, are not savants. But sometimes autism lends us special skills in areas like memory, pattern recognition and visual thinking. 

"People with autism might see the world through a filter that enhances the intensity of the details of the images they see every moment of their lives," researcher Arjen Alink told the autism-focused news outlet Spectrum News in 2021. 

Autism exists in every ethnicity and gender, though research shows autistic people of color and women have a harder time accessing diagnoses and support. And contrary to the stereotypes, we're employed in every field. Sure, we're scientists, engineers, software developers and tradespeople, but we're also artists, retail workers, communications professionals and businesspeople. 

We share your desks and break rooms. When we choose to disclose our autism to you and communicate the work conditions that would help us succeed, please believe us, even if we look, talk or act differently than what you're expecting. Even if we don't remind you of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, or Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man, or your aunt's neighbor's cousin's autistic fifth grader who's enrolled in linear algebra.

Not a human calculator 

"They think we're like calculators," Gideon Kariuki, a 21-year-old public policy student at Arizona State University, told me. 

"We're members of the community, too," says Gideon Kariuki, a junior at Arizona State University. "Regardless of our support needs, regardless of, quote unquote, 'what we can contribute to society.'" 

Margarete Moffett

Kariuki is, in fact, anything but a human calculator: He said he's always been "awful" at math. Instead, his passion lies in civics, public service and policy. He reckons his sharp analytical thinking -- an ability commonly found among autistic folks -- has served him well in these areas. 

The night we spoke, he was headed to a concert featuring one of his friends from Blaze Radio, the student radio station at Arizona State. Kariuki is Blaze Radio's program director, and he co-hosts two news analysis shows there.

"I'm somebody who's a big old chatterbox, as I'm sure you're figuring out," Kariuki said with a laugh. 

Being an autistic chatterbox myself, I had a splendid time talking with Kariuki as we derailed the interview and led each other down rabbit trails only tangentially related to the topic at hand. At one point we landed on the subject of US immigration policy and his parents' emigration from Kenya. That's when he made a compelling connection between attitudes toward immigrants and autistic people.

"One of the things that drives me up a wall concerning American immigration rhetoric is, 'Immigrants are such a benefit to the economy, yada yada.' Listen, I agree with that," he said. "However, that's not why you should support immigration."

The US should support immigrants not solely for the potential economic benefits, Kariuki argues, but because it's the right thing to do. By similar logic, while autistic workers can benefit employers with the special abilities and helpful traits we often bring to the table, that's not the primary reason workplaces should treat us with respect.

"We're members of the community, too," he said. "Regardless of our support needs, regardless of, quote unquote, 'what we can contribute to society.'"

What support looks like

For 32-year-old New York City-based video producer Hunter Boone, who uses both "he" and "they" pronouns, support in the workplace could look as simple as supervisors being more direct with their communication. Boone said they've noticed that once they reveal they're on the spectrum, supervisors tend to start speaking to them as if they were a toddler. With a newfound hyper-awareness of Boone's condition and a desire to avoid offending or confusing him, the supervisors start to be even less direct: the opposite of what Boone needs.

"I crave communication," Boone told me. 

For instance, one time his boss assigned them a task, and Boone completed it correctly. But afterward, Boone's boss told him he actually didn't intend for Boone to take the assignment literally. It had been difficult for Boone to discern that, as the interaction had taken place over the messaging platform Slack, where he couldn't see his boss' facial expressions or tone of voice to understand his meaning. It's a classic hangup that can happen as neurotypical and neurodivergent people work together, Boone said. More direct communication can help make things smoother. 

When we advocate for ourselves by expressing our needs, it's important for employers to welcome that self-advocacy and join us in developing solutions. 

Tim Johnson, an autistic 24-year-old notary public in Virginia and a friend from college, said the best thing that could happen for him in a workplace would be for people to stop expecting him to socialize exactly like they do.

"If I could hand out a business-card-sized little written thing saying, 'Hey, I'm probably not going to look you in the eye. Probably going to listen a lot more than I speak. I'm probably going to take criticism badly,' and not be socially judged for it, I would do it in a heartbeat," Johnson told me. 

That's a brilliant idea. If I had a little "Hey! I'm autistic!" handout like Johnson described, mine would ask managers to be very direct and literal when they assign me tasks; that might have helped Boone, too. Mine would also say I might accidentally come across as snarky or overly blunt, but I'm being earnest 99% of the time -- just ask me for clarification. Finally, I would say I struggle with multitasking and bouncing between tasks at a moment's notice. When we advocate for ourselves by expressing our needs, it's important for employers to welcome that self-advocacy and join us in developing solutions. 

Johnson's job requires him to take on requests for support as they come in, and he's had to manage his own expectation that he has to respond to every incoming message immediately. (I have trouble with that, too -- thanks a lot, Slack.) His standing desk has been helping him "take a literal step back": To fidget, he shakes out his arms, and that helps bring his stress back down to a manageable level. We discussed how dogs (beagles being one of Johnson's special interests, a term used in the autism field to describe areas of intense focus) do a similar sort of shaking motion to reset.

"Whenever my dog does it, it's when she comes in from the rain and she's getting all the rainwater off," Johnson said. "It's essentially the same thing, but with stress, for me."

Taking a fidget break 

Sometimes the very nature of work can be difficult for autistic people to navigate, so we innovate ways to tend to our own needs. For example, I struggle when I'm interrupted in the middle of a task and told to go do something else. Sure, I can technically do it, but my brain will feel fried, making it more difficult to complete the rest of the day's work. 

Cara Larsen's mixed media art (on Instagram at @caralarsenart). "The arts can be a haven for autistic people, an environment where our traits and talents can be appreciated, and we can express ideas we may not be able to say in words," Larsen wrote in a blog post for Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network.

Cara Larsen

Karisa, my understanding and supportive manager at CNET, lets me block out time on my calendar each day to focus on long-term projects, uninterrupted by day-to-day tasks. (This is a good idea for everyone, autistic or not.) I still get all of those tasks done: I just do it in a way that works for both me and my team. Managers can help by letting us do what we need to do. Allow us to take a step back and fidget, like Johnson. Or let us complete tasks in a workflow that works for us, even if it seems strange to you.

Cara Larsen, a 29-year-old autistic artist, prefers to complete her art in "bursts": She'll work for a few minutes, then pace around or read for a while before going back to her creation. Or she'll hop on her swing -- mounted indoors, to escape the overwhelming Mississippi humidity -- to gaze at one of her works in progress and contemplate her next course of action.

I conducted my interview with Larsen via email, as she said typing can often be easier for her than speaking. While growing up, she told me, teachers would try to shoehorn her into what she calls "the autistic STEM genius stereotype" despite her struggling with math. When she was deciding on a major in community college, she told instructors and advisers she was good at art and design, but they would immediately shoot her down.

"No one really encouraged me to explore different types of design careers, but I was constantly pushed toward STEM because in their eyes, that's what smart people did," Larsen told me.

She said she's suffered a lot of impostor syndrome as a result of these experiences. Larsen also discussed this in a 2018 blog post for Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, in which she argues that even seemingly positive stereotypes are still harmful for autistic people.

"The 'autistic math genius' stereotype may seem better than 'gifted kids who struggle in school are just lazy' or 'girls can't do math' or 'art majors don't get jobs,' but it can limit a person's future just as much as those more negative stereotypes can -- especially when it is combined with them," Larsen wrote.

April is Autism Acceptance Month. While I appreciate the blue balloons for autism awareness, I'd encourage companies to also direct energy toward creating more accessible work environments.

Kaipong/Getty Images

I asked Larsen if there's any sort of community of autistic artists. I was curious, as that's not a profession stereotypically associated with autism. She said she's met a few, but wishes there was more support in place for artists on the spectrum. They may have trouble affording supplies, as many autistic people are low-income, studies show.

"No-strings-attached grants for low-income autistic artists, with an easy application process," she suggests. "And help promoting yourself at art-related events."

From artists' circles to media organizations, you probably work with an autistic person regardless of your field. Instead of wearing a blue shirt for autism awareness, celebrate Autism Acceptance Month by making a conscious effort to listen to our needs and support us. 

The many faces of focus

Often, it's in the little things. For example: Zoom calls. People often perceive my neutral facial expression as glazed over, checked out or irritated, even when I'm feeling perfectly fine and focusing intently. So when my camera is on, I have to devote energy to putting on my "pleasant, active listening face" and looking like I'm paying attention. (Ironically, this makes it more difficult for me to actually pay attention!)  Because of this, I tend to focus much better when my camera is turned off. To some people, though, this indicates the opposite: that I'm not listening. 

Instead of enforcing a strict camera-on policy and assuming we're less dedicated employees when we turn our cameras off, understand that focusing can take many shapes. 

Like Hunter Boone said, sometimes we need you to be more direct. Like Tim Johnson said, sometimes we don't conform to social expectations. Like Cara Larsen said, sometimes we just work a little differently than you. 

Read more:  What You Need to Know About Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Huawei says US ban will 'significantly harm' American jobs, companies

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Huawei says US ban will 'significantly harm' American jobs, companies

Chinese tech giant Huawei says its blacklisting by the US will harm jobs, industry and economics in the states.

"This decision is in no one's interest," Huawei said in a statement Thursday. "It will do significant economic harm to the American companies with which Huawei does business, affect tens of thousands of American jobs and disrupt the current collaboration and mutual trust that exist on the global supply chain."

Huawei added that it will immediately seek remedies against the decision and "find a resolution."

The company had been added to the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List late Wednesday, following an executive order from President Donald Trump effectively banning Huawei from US communications networks. Among other things, the Entity List applies to companies engaging in "activities contrary to US national security and/or foreign policy interests," according to the bureau's website.

The core issue with Huawei has been concerns over its coziness with the Chinese government and fears that its equipment could be used to spy on other countries and companies. The CIA has reportedly warned intelligence officials that Huawei receives funding from China's National Security Commission, the People's Liberation Army and a third branch of the Chinese state intelligence network.

Trump's executive order declared that foreign adversary threats to communications networks, technology and services are a national emergency. Huawei has repeatedly denied that its products pose a security threat, following Australia banning Huawei from 5G in August.

In its statement Thursday, Huawei called itself "the unparalleled leader in 5G" and said the US ban would lead to the states "lagging behind" in deployment of the next-generation networking technology.

"We are ready and willing to engage with the US government and come up with effective measures to ensure product security," Huawei said. "Restricting Huawei from doing business in the US will not make the US more secure or stronger; instead, this will only serve to limit the US to inferior yet more expensive alternatives."

Read: Samsung has the most to gain from Google putting Huawei on ice

Is the threat real?

Huawei denies it has strong ties to the Chinese government. But even if the allegations were true, company officials told CNET in an interview that the security threat is still minimal simply because of the way communications networks are built. 

"We don't control the customer network," Andy Purdy, Huawei's chief security officer, said in an interview with CNET. "The carriers do. China can order us to do whatever the hell they want. But if we don't have access to the customer data, we can't send it back to China."

He went on to explain that mobile operators source their equipment from multiple vendors, which isn't only a good cyber security practice but also makes good business sense. 

Francis Dinha, CEO of the security software company OpenVPN, agrees that operators use equipment from multiple vendors and said it's the wireless operators who are ultimately responsible for securing their networks.

"You shouldn't trust any equipment manufacturer, no matter where the company is from, in terms of security," he said. "Operators are not stupid. They know they need to build a different layer of security to really cope with these problems."

Still, Dinha acknowledges that lawmakers and national security policy experts have valid concerns about Huawei's relationship with China, even though the company says it can't be compelled to spy for the Chinese government.

"I'm not saying that you should trust China and simply take their word that they can't be ordered to do something malicious," he said. "You shouldn't. But there are ways to mitigate these risks by building in layers of security."

Huawei's Purdy said that the company is open to discussing how it can work with US officials to ensure that 5G networks are protected, but so far no one is willing to talk.

"Because of the hostility against Huawei, there is a lack of willingness to let the experts talk about the facts," he said. "There are new standards in risk mitigation capabilities that are out there, we can address the risk."

He said he's hopeful those lines of communication will open soon.

The cost of not doing business with Huawei

Don Morrissey, head of Congressional, State and Local Government Affairs for Huawei, said it's in the best interest of the US to find a way to work with Huawei. He said that limiting access to an important 5G vendor for equipment will limit competition, which will raise costs for building these networks. Providers will ultimately pass those costs on to consumers.

He also added there are other economic concerns as Huawei sources some of its components from US companies.  

"We spent $11 billion with American companies last year," he said. "That's American companies in Idaho, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Michigan, Arizona, California and New York."

CNET's Steven Musil contributed to this report.

Updated 2:44 pm PT: Added comments from Huawei executives and Francis Dinha of OpenVPN.

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After years of hype and a bumpy first year of launches, carrier 5G networks are here and, most importantly, 5G-compatible phones like the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5. (Samsung's next expected flagship phone, the Galaxy S21, will likely feature 5G too.) The technology is supposed to change your life with its revolutionary speed and responsiveness. But before we get into that, it's important to understand what it is, when and how it will affect you, and how to distinguish between (the still growing) hype and the reality. 

In 2019, CNET held a massive speed test of 5G networks around the world, spanning from Chicago to London to Sydney to Seoul. The results were a mix of ludicrous speeds, but limited range and spotty coverage. Conversely, you would see wider coverage with a modest bump in speed. You also saw devices like the SamsungGalaxy S10 5G roll out. The early generation of 5G phones boasted impressive speeds at times, but we cautioned against buying them because of compatibility issues and other problems that arise with new technology. 

Just like with everything else, you have to give 5G some time to mature. 

And over the course of 2020, things have gotten much better. Carriers continue to expand 5G coverage into more cities, and new devices compatible with multiple networks are coming out, with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all now announcing nationwide coverage. But just how quickly that life-changing aspect of 5G will arrive remains up in the air. That's exacerbated by the novel coronavirus, which has locked down millions around the world, slowing down the 5G rollout and dampening consumer enthusiasm for pricey new devices, even with those stimulus checks. 

All this means 5G is advancing from years of promises -- ever since Verizon talked about moving into the area four and a half years ago to AT&T kicking off the first official mobile network at the end of 2018 and T-Mobile going nationwide in December -- to becoming reality for more consumers. Beyond a big speed boost, 5G has been referred to as foundational tech that'll supercharge areas like self-driving cars, virtual and augmented reality and telemedicine services such as remote surgery. It will eventually connect everything from farming equipment to security cameras and, of course, your smartphone. 

But what exactly is 5G? Why are people so excited? The following is a breakdown of why the next generation of wireless technology is more than just a boost in speed. (If you're really interested, check out our glossary of 5G terms.)

What is 5G?

It's the next (fifth) generation of cellular technology, and it promises to greatly enhance the speed, coverage and responsiveness of wireless networks. How fast are we talking? Carriers like Verizon and AT&T have shown speeds surging past 1 gigabit per second.

That's 10 to 100 times speedier than your typical cellular connection, and even faster than anything you can get with a physical fiber-optic cable going into your house. (In optimal conditions, you'll be able to download a season's worth of Stranger Things in seconds.)

Is it just about speed?

No! One of the key benefits is something called low latency. You'll hear this term a lot. Latency is the response time between when you click on a link or start streaming a video on your phone, which sends the request up to the network, and when the network responds, delivering you the website or playing your video.

That lag time can last around 20 milliseconds with current networks. It doesn't seem like much, but with 5G, that latency gets reduced to as little as 1 millisecond, or about the time it takes for a flash on a normal camera. 

That responsiveness is critical for things like playing an intense video game in virtual reality or for a surgeon in New York to control a pair of robotic arms performing a procedure in San Francisco. You know that little lag when you're on a Zoom video conference call? 5G will help eliminate some of those awkward, "Sorry, you go ahead" moments after people talk over each other. That lag time won't completely go away, especially if you're communicating with someone halfway around the world. The distance matters, since that info still has to travel there and back. 

But a virtually lag-free connection means self-driving cars have a way to communicate with each other in real time -- assuming there's enough 5G coverage to connect those vehicles. 

We're not quite there yet with existing 5G networks, but the industry is working to trim down that latency so those hypotheticals become reality.

Are there other benefits?

A 5G network is designed to connect a far greater number of devices than a traditional cellular network does. That internet of things trend you keep hearing about? 5G can power multiple devices around you, whether it's a dog collar or a refrigerator. 

In addition, the 5G network was built to handle gear used by businesses, such as farm equipment or ATMs, and can adjust for differing needs. For example, some products like sensors for farming equipment don't need a constant connection. Those kinds of low-power scanners are intended to work on the same battery for 10 years and still be able to periodically send data.

Will it cost more?

Verizon requires its customers to sign up for one of its newest plans, and to get access to the fastest flavor of 5G, you'll need to get one of its top two most expensive plans (out of a total of four).

AT&T likewise requires that you sign up for one of its premium tiers of unlimited data plans. 

"5G brings capabilities that are going to cause us to think different about pricing," AT&T said. "We expect pricing to be at a premium to what we charge today."

But Jeff McElfresh, CEO of AT&T Communications, which is the wireless, broadband and subscription video services arm of the telecom and media giant, teased that more affordable 5G is coming. 

"You should not assume that 5G is an exclusive capability for the most expensive handsets and found only in the most expensive rate plans," he said in an interview in May. "The speed at which the technology is beginning to make its way into the network is unparalleled."

There's precedent for holding the line on pricing: LTE didn't cost any more when it first came out; you just needed to buy a new phone. But pricing models do change over time. Since 4G launched, carriers have both taken away unlimited plans and brought them back. 

Verizon's home broadband service costs $50 for wireless subscribers, and $70 for everyone else. Those are in line with other broadband costs. (You can find out if you're eligible for the service here.)

T-Mobile, for its part, throws 5G into all of its plans, including grandfathered Sprint plans.

(Here's a breakdown of the carrier plans you need for 5G.) 

How does it work?

In the US, 5G initially used super high-frequency spectrum, which has shorter range but higher capacity, to deliver a massive pipe for online access. Think of it as a glorified Wi-Fi hotspot. 

But given the range and interference issues, the carriers are also using lower-frequency spectrum -- the type used in today's networks -- to help ferry 5G across greater distances and through walls and other obstructions. 

At the end of 2019, launched a nationwide network using even lower-frequency spectrum, which can spread further. T-Mobile is now using Sprint's 2.5 GHz spectrum to add more speed to its network. AT&T also launched nationwide coverage in July. Verizon followed on in October, in time for the iPhone 12 launch. 

The result is that the insane speeds companies first promised won't always be there, but we'll still see a boost beyond what we get today with 4G LTE. 

Wait, so there are different flavors of 5G?

At the risk of complicating things further, yes. That low-band spectrum -- the type used in 3G and 4G networks -- is what gives carriers a wide range of coverage. But the speeds are only marginally better than 4G. In some cases, they're almost the same. But that wide range is key for covering as many people as possible. 

The opposite end of the scale is the super high-frequency band, known as millimeter-wave spectrum, that carriers like Verizon rolled out early on. You get tremendous speeds, but the range is short and it has trouble penetrating windows and walls. 

Then there's midband spectrum like Sprint's 2.5 GHz swath. Around the world, it's the most commonly used type of spectrum since it offers the best mix of speed and and range. In the US, only T-Mobile has access to this kind of spectrum for now. 

Where do these carriers get the spectrum?

Some of these carriers already control small swaths of high-frequency radio airwaves, but many will have to purchase more from the government. Carriers around the world are working with their respective governments to free up the necessary spectrum. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission is holding more auctions for so-called millimeter wave and mid-band spectrum, which all the carriers are participating in.  

How did the launch go?

Between the end of 2018 through the first few months of last year, the carriers were racing to claim some sort of "first." Verizon and AT&T launched their mobile 5G networks, while KT said a robot in South Korea was its first 5G customer. Sprint turned on its network in June, followed shortly thereafter by T-Mobile. UK carrier EE was the first in its country to turn on 5G. 

Sounds great, right?

Verizon launched the first "5G" service in the world in October 2018, but it's a bit of a technicality. The service, called 5G Home, is a fixed broadband replacement, rather than a mobile service. An installer has to put in special equipment in your house or apartment that can pick up the 5G signals and turn that into a Wi-Fi connection in the home so your other devices can access it. 

There was also some debate about whether the service even qualified as 5G: It didn't use the standards the industry has agreed on. The company wanted to jump out ahead, and used its own proprietary technology. Verizon argued that the speeds, which range from 300 megabits per second to 1 gigabit per second, qualify the service for 5G designation. Its rivals and other mobile experts dispute that claim. 

The launch was extremely limited in select neighborhoods in Houston, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles and Sacramento, California. (Let us know if you're among the lucky few who got it.) It has since switched to industry-standard equipment. In September, Verizon expanded the home service to St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota and said it was in eight markets. Verizon Wireless CEO Ronan Dunne said he expects a big push to 5G Home in the coming months. 

At the end of December 2018, AT&T turned on its mobile 5G network in a dozen cities and more specifically in "dense urban and high-traffic areas." Take note, Verizon: AT&T boasted that it's the "first and only company in the US to offer a mobile 5G device over a commercial, standards-based mobile 5G network." But access to these networks were initially limited to preferred business customers, and consumers weren't able to access this super-fast service for all of 2019.

Where is 5G available?

This is pretty complicated question depending on your carrier, region and what specific flavor of 5G you're talking about. 

A lot of countries have been using that midband spectrum, with its nice mix of range and speed, and coverage has improved steadily since the launch -- even if there are plenty of dead spots still. But in the US, the picture is more fragmented. 

All three carriers in the US claim nationwide coverage, but they use that lower-frequency spectrum that often looks a lot like a glorified 4G signal. At launch, T-Mobile said people could expect a speed bump of about 20 percent over 4G, which for many consumers isn't fast enough to be noticeable. 

AT&T also has a low-band network. The company said in June that it covers 355 markets with its broader ranging 5G, which like T-Mobile's network, is only incrementally faster than 4G. 

Verizon said it is using spectrum from its existing 4G network to power a the more wide-ranging 5G network. It's using a technology called Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (think of rerouting the faster lanes of a freeway between 4G and 5G on the fly) to power this move. 

When it comes to that super-fast millimeter wave flavor, Verizon is the main standard bearer. The company's so-called 5G UW is in more than 60 markets. 

AT&T says its millimeter wave network is in parts of 36 cities. 

T-Mobile said it has its millimeter wave network in parts of six cities, including New York, Dallas and Los Angeles. The company also has the advantage of absorbing the midband spectrum that Sprint was using to power its own 5G network. That spectrum covers 410 cities and towns in the US. 

What about that home broadband service?

Verizon's 5G Home service, which initially launched using proprietary technology, is not utilizing industry-standard 5G, which has resulted in broader availability and higher speeds. But the service is still limited to six cities. In late June, Houston got an upgrade to the industry-standard 5G, resulting in better service. The company says it plans to have 10 total markets with 5G Home. 

T-Mobile, meanwhile, has talked about the opportunity to offer 5G service as a replacement for broadband, but has offered little details. 

What about this 5G E thing from AT&T?

Sorry, but that's more marketing fluff. AT&T's 5G E stands for 5G Evolution, or its upgraded 4G LTE network that has a path to real 5G. 

But the designation, which showed up on phones in early 2019, has caused some consumer confusion, with some thinking they already have 5G. To be clear, it's not, with many bashing AT&T for misleading customers. Sprint filed a lawsuit against AT&T, which, according to an AT&T spokesperson, the companies "amicably settled." The National Advertising Review Board has recommended that AT&T stopping using the term in its marketing, although the icon on your AT&T phone remains. 

AT&T has said it's "proud" that it went with the 5G E name. 

5G E does bring higher speeds, but not the kind of true benefits real 5G would bring. 

What about all the other 5G names?

Yeah, it's super confusing. Beyond the fake 5G E name, there are legit labels like Verizon's 5G UW (for Ultra Wideband), which signals the fastest flavor of 5G (using millimeter wave). AT&T is calling its super-fast next-generation network 5G Plus, while using 5G as a label for the service running on lower frequency spectrum. 

Here's a rundown of all the different marketing labels applied to 5G. 

Can I pick up 5G with my existing smartphone?

Sorry, no. 5G technology requires a specific set of antennas to tap into specific bands. Last year's Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is tuned for Verizon's network and its millimeter wave spectrum. This year's Samsung Galaxy S20 5G is compatible with more networks, but there's still a specific variant for Verizon that taps into its "UW" network. 

Most of the early 2019 phones used Qualcomm's X50 modem, which is designed specifically to tap into specific 5G bands. Phones launching this year will use a second-generation chip that picks up more spectrum bands. 

There have been a huge proliferation of 5G phones, even if they're largely still premium devices, and the phones are able to ride on different networks. 

Are all the phones premium devices?

Mostly, but tha'ts changing. But the industry is working hard to drive down the prices. AT&T's McElfresh said he was working to get phone prices down so they're more accessible. 

And Verizon Wireless CEO Dunne teased a $400 device by the end of 2020. That turned out to be the TCL 10 5G. In January, T-Mobile launched the OnePlus Nord N10 5G for $300. 

Here's what needs to happen before the industry can bring affordable 5G to the masses.

Anything I should worry about?

High-frequency spectrum is the key to that massive pickup in capacity and speed, but there are drawbacks. The range isn't great, especially when you have obstructions such as trees or buildings. As a result, carriers will have to deploy a lot more small cellular radios, creatively named small cells, around any areas that get a 5G signal. 

That's going to annoy anyone who doesn't want cellular radios near them. 

How will the carriers get 5G to more people?

T-Mobile and AT&T are utilizing its lower bandwidth spectrum to get 5G into more areas. Verizon lacks that lower bandwidth, so it's using a technology called Dynamic Spectrum Sharing that allows it to use its existing spectrum for its 4G networks to also power 5G. AT&T is likewise testing this. 

What about health risks?

There have long been lingering concerns that cellular signals may cause cancer. Unfortunately, there haven't been a lot of studies to conclusively prove or disprove a health risk. 

That opens the door to concerns about 5G. While some of those networks will run at super-high frequencies, researchers note that it still falls under the category of radiation that isn't supposed to be harmful to our cells. 

Critics say there isn't enough research into this issue and that the studies that have been conducted weren't adequate. The World Health Organization lists cellular signals as a potential carcinogen. But it also lists pickled vegetables and coffee as carcinogens. 

Still, it's something people are worried about. 

What does 5G have to do with COVID-19?

Nothing. There's a conspiracy theory going around, propelled by YouTube videos and articles pushing the idea that the super-high frequencies used in 5G networks are contributing to, or even causing, the coronavirus. That is categorically untrue, with scientists and doctors lining up to squash this idea. 

Keep in mind that in most of the countries where COVID-19 has hit, the networks in use don't even use that millimeter wave spectrum that people are fearful of. In the US, it's only been deployed in select areas. 

We still don't know a lot about the origin of the novel coronavirus, but it's safe to say 5G didn't play a role in it.

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