Huawei gets manufacturing unit sanction from Centre
The proposal of Chinese telecom giant Huawei to set up a manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu was cleared by the Home Ministry. The clearance came with clauses which make it mandatory for the Chinese company to employ Indians in key positions such as the Chief Security Officer and Chief of Technical Operations. The centre hopes that this move would encourage more investments from China.
Huawei, headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong was founded by Ren Zhengfei in 1987 and has become the "largest telecommunications equipment maker in the world" outranking Ericsson in 2012.
On 18 November 2011, telecom network honcho Huawei launched its very first global network operations centre (GNOC) outside of China. If services at other centers get disrupted, this GNOC in Bangalore will function as a disaster recovery centre for them. The company also divulged its plans to partner with Bharti Telecom on a pilot project for 4G in Karnataka.
A Network Operating Center that runs 'multiple networks' of various countries in a 'centralized location' is called a GNOC. The GNOC aims to achieve "economies of scale, efficient and quality operations."
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. has decided to invest $170 million to set up a research and development centre in Bangalore. This Chinese investment will add weight to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' campaign. The Bangalore facility will be Huawei's largest R&D centre outside Chinain. It will provide employment to at least 5000 software employees.
Huawei launched new broadband networking devices such as dongles for home and SOHO customers, aiming to strengthen its offering to current consumers. Huawei is eyeing a 40% market share in the broadband networking devices market within a year's time. The company was confident that it had something for everyone within the price range of Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 2,500.
During the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, Huawei was the first multinational to garner funds and donate for the relief operations. During the 2004 tsunami, Huawei India mobilized almost Rs 12,00,000.
Huawei launched 4 new handsets in its bid to strengthen its retail presence in the Indian market. Huawei's newly launched Y336, Y541, Y625 and G620S would be made available under Huawei's G and Y series and are priced between Rs 5,499 - Rs 9,499. The company said that it was aiming to gain a 10% market share in the affordable segment with this launch.
