The U.S. and China race to perfect and control 5G technology
The early waves of mobile communications were largely driven by American and European companies. As the next era of 5G approaches, promising to again transform the way people use the internet, a battle is on to determine whether the U.S. or China will dominate. Background reading: As countries around the world begin deciding which companies will build their 5G networks, the United States has embarked on a global campaign to prevent the Chinese technology giant Huawei from taking part . At an annual conference with America’s closest European allies, Vice President Mike Pence demanded that Europe ban Chinese gear from global communications networks . The transition to 5G begins this year and could bring about revolutionary changes to the way we use the internet. Here’s what you need to know . David E. Sanger contributed reporting. “Why Controlling 5G Could Mean Controlling the World” was produced by Lynsea Garrison, Jessica Cheung and Theo Balcomb, with help f