The shortest-lived 3G network: What can we learn from TD-SCDMA?

4G is getting closer and closer, and the three major operators are gearing up for it. If nothing unexpected happens, LTE FDD licenses will be issued by the end of this year or early next year, and the three major operators will have 4G licenses at the same time, and the real 4G war will begin.

China Mobile is the most active and fastest in 4G development. The reason is obvious. In the 3G era, China Mobile obtained the TS-SCDMA license, which appeared to have the halo of national independent intellectual property rights, but in fact it was an imperfect technical standard. This also directly led to China Mobile's 3G network capabilities lagging behind the other two operators.

The limitation of 3G capability has caused China Mobile a lot of pain for many years, and the accelerated arrival of the 4G era is the best opportunity for it to turn things around. In the past year, China Mobile's investment in 4G exceeded "the total investment in 3G in the past few years." Obviously, China Mobile has realized the importance of 4G and is determined to develop 4G with all its strength.

According to the news, China Mobile will no longer make additional investments in the construction of TD-SCDMA networks, and will focus entirely on the construction of 4G networks in the future. This means that China Mobile has given up on the TD-SCDMA network. In other words, in just five years, the TD-SCDMA network that was highly anticipated will naturally wither away!

At present, the utilization rate of TD-SCDMA network is about 30%. As TD-SCDMA users turn to 4G, the huge investment of 200 billion yuan in the past few years may never be recovered. Some people may say that transformation brings pain! But for China Mobile, TD-SCDMA may just be a game that is forced to play, but there is no chance of winning.

However, any progress in science and technology and industry is a process of continuous trial and error. In the context of the rapid development of the global telecommunications industry, China's original intention to seek independent intellectual property technology was not wrong. Although TD-SCDMA did not achieve the expected benefits in the end, it undoubtedly carried the historical mission of the development of China's telecommunications industry in a specific period. Facing TD-SCDMA, we cannot blindly blame the mistakes, but we must reflect deeply and make better progress in the future.

In 2014, the tide of de-IOE and localization surged, and China came to a new crossroads. This era is more eager for China's independent intellectual property rights than any other era. More and more Chinese local companies have embarked on the road of independent research and development, which is a good thing.

But what we need to be aware of is, in this process, how many projects are "TD-SCDMA" style innovations?

5 years + 200 billion, never let this happen again!

In fact, TD-SCDMA made China Mobile take a detour, but this did not affect the continuous improvement of Chinese companies' voice in the domestic market. In the 2G era, China was a runner-up, in the 3G era, it was a follower, and in the 4G era, it was a leader. This is a brief summary of the development of China's communications industry. Apart from the operators, a group of Chinese manufacturers represented by Huawei have become the core suppliers of the global 4G commercial network. You know, this was unimaginable a few years ago!

Comparing the development of China Mobile's TD-SCDMA from birth to decline and the development of domestic equipment manufacturers such as Huawei from following to leading, I draw two conclusions:

1. Enterprises grow, not are planned.

The development of enterprises must comply with the objective laws of the market, allowing enterprises to survive and eliminate the fittest in full market competition. Only in this way can truly strong enterprises grow.

Facts have also proven that all enterprises that are planned and supported are not very competitive, while those that have emerged step by step in a barbaric environment are more dynamic. Huawei, Tencent, Alibaba... are all like this! Therefore, what the government needs to do is to create a fair market environment and let everyone compete. Leave the future to the market.

2. Only strong national enterprises can have a say in Chinese standards

Improving the right to speak in the market cannot be achieved by empty slogans or academic research alone. If you want to have a real voice in the market, you must have strong companies to support you.

Facts have proven that it is not academic institutions that are the leaders of technology and the market, but the enterprises that are always at the forefront. Therefore, what the government needs to do is to create an environment that allows enterprises to succeed and let private enterprises make their own choices. Leave development to enterprises!

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.