Chinese WiFi Security Standard Making Companies Upset
Last week we wrote about how China surprised just about everyone by announcing that any WiFi equipment in the country needed to use some new security standard that no one had ever heard of. Now, more details are coming out and it’s angering a number of non-Chinese companies who say they’re being forced to partner with Chinese companies if they want to sell in the Chinese market. It sounds like this is a simple protectionist plan to keep Chinese companies involved in the WiFi space. The specific technology needed can only be licensed from 11 Chinese companies chosen by the government. Some vendors are afraid that these companies will demand technology plans in return – which may end up being copied by the Chinese vendors themselves. The US vendors are trying to get more details and will try to talk China out of going through with this plan. It certainly could put a damper on WiFi in China.
