Re: How can 5G be displaced so quickly
"I also find it consistently sad that I see so many comments here touting Chinese for 5G"
Huawei can sell you a 5G infrastructure that works now. End-to-end catering for almost all current functions for 5G either as Huawei parts or tested third-party parts with documented integration steps.
Ericsson can cobble together a 5G infrastructure in 2020/2021 that will have a few of the pieces delivered as upgrades or on a 4G infrastructure and if you want some functionality, you can add third-party components at your own risk.
Nokia are likely one year behind Ericsson assuming Intel can deliver parts in 2020.
ZTE are behind Nokia, but target the cost-conscious end of the market so make up for it on TCO and don't need to be as bleeding edge as Huawei/Ericsson/Nokia.
Samsung have Korea and anyone else they can sell to.
Add in Nokia and Ericsson having had a few lean years and big R&D investments in 5G and you can see the risk they are carrying until they can get products/solutions in the market. Huawei's lead means both companies will be less profitable than they would like and I would be surprised if we see both still in the market when 6G roles around. Yes...the last 25 years of manufacturing telecommunications equipment has been brutal.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
