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Wireless Wars: China's Dangerous Domination of 5G and How We're Fighting Back
As the world rolls out transformational 5G services, it has become increasingly clear that China may be able to disrupt—or even access—the wireless networks that carry our medical, financial, and even military communications.
This insider story from a telecommunications veteran uncovers how we got into this mess—and how to change the outcome.
In Wireless Wars: China's Dangerous Domination of 5G and How We're Fighting Back, author Jon Pelson explains how America invented cellular technology, taught China how to make the gear, and then handed them the market. Pelson shares never-before-told stories from the executives and scientists who built the industry and describes how China undercut and destroyed competing equipment makers, freeing themselves to export their nation’s network gear—and their surveillance state. He also reveals China’s successful program to purchase the support of the world’s leading political, business, and military figures in their effort to control rival nations’ networks.
What’s more, Pelson draws on his lifelong experience in the telecommunications industry and remarkable access to the sector’s leaders to reveal how innovative companies can take on the Chinese threat and work with counterintelligence and cybersecurity experts to prevent China from closing the trap. He offers unparalleled insights into how 5G impacts businesses, national security and you. Finally, Wireless Wars proposes how America can use its own unique superpower to retake the lead from China.
This book is about more than just 5G wireless services, which enable self-driving cars, advanced telemedicine, and transformational industrial capabilities. It’s about the dangers of placing our most sensitive information into the hands of foreign companies who answer to the Chinese Communist Party. And it’s about the technology giant that China is using to project its power around the world; Huawei, a global super-company that has surged from a local vendor to a $120 billion-a-year behemoth in just a few years.
For anyone curious about the hottest issue at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, Wireless Wars offers an immersive crash course and an unforgettable read.
This insider story from a telecommunications veteran uncovers how we got into this mess—and how to change the outcome.
In Wireless Wars: China's Dangerous Domination of 5G and How We're Fighting Back, author Jon Pelson explains how America invented cellular technology, taught China how to make the gear, and then handed them the market. Pelson shares never-before-told stories from the executives and scientists who built the industry and describes how China undercut and destroyed competing equipment makers, freeing themselves to export their nation’s network gear—and their surveillance state. He also reveals China’s successful program to purchase the support of the world’s leading political, business, and military figures in their effort to control rival nations’ networks.
What’s more, Pelson draws on his lifelong experience in the telecommunications industry and remarkable access to the sector’s leaders to reveal how innovative companies can take on the Chinese threat and work with counterintelligence and cybersecurity experts to prevent China from closing the trap. He offers unparalleled insights into how 5G impacts businesses, national security and you. Finally, Wireless Wars proposes how America can use its own unique superpower to retake the lead from China.
This book is about more than just 5G wireless services, which enable self-driving cars, advanced telemedicine, and transformational industrial capabilities. It’s about the dangers of placing our most sensitive information into the hands of foreign companies who answer to the Chinese Communist Party. And it’s about the technology giant that China is using to project its power around the world; Huawei, a global super-company that has surged from a local vendor to a $120 billion-a-year behemoth in just a few years.
For anyone curious about the hottest issue at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, Wireless Wars offers an immersive crash course and an unforgettable read.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2021
68 people are currently reading
634 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 10, 2021
Really only 3.5 stars but I'll round up since the message is important.
I found this book entertaining since I was in the industry when some of the changes described occurred. But as a junior engineer when it was happening, I didn't have a broad enough view to understand what was going on beyond the myopic focus on quarterly profits and the relentless competition worldwide. Still if you do that for 30-40 years you eventually hollow out once great companies like Nortel and AT&T and you're left with nothing.
I'm sure a similar book could be written about many other industries: shipping, silicon, medical supplies, etc.
The main gist of this book is that "China is a problem." It's not a problem because it has outcompeted the former majors and is really the last company standing, although that is a problem if you're Ericson. Let me give you a choice quote:
"...China sees its involvement with other countries' governments as a means to project and impose upon the world its own philosophy on governance and control of society..."
I hope business and political leaders around the world read this and get the point: that China is not playing by "the rules." They are playing for bigger stakes. Then ask yourself this, would you rather live in a world more like China? Or more like The West (with all it's flaws)?
I found this book entertaining since I was in the industry when some of the changes described occurred. But as a junior engineer when it was happening, I didn't have a broad enough view to understand what was going on beyond the myopic focus on quarterly profits and the relentless competition worldwide. Still if you do that for 30-40 years you eventually hollow out once great companies like Nortel and AT&T and you're left with nothing.
I'm sure a similar book could be written about many other industries: shipping, silicon, medical supplies, etc.
The main gist of this book is that "China is a problem." It's not a problem because it has outcompeted the former majors and is really the last company standing, although that is a problem if you're Ericson. Let me give you a choice quote:
"...China sees its involvement with other countries' governments as a means to project and impose upon the world its own philosophy on governance and control of society..."
I hope business and political leaders around the world read this and get the point: that China is not playing by "the rules." They are playing for bigger stakes. Then ask yourself this, would you rather live in a world more like China? Or more like The West (with all it's flaws)?
February 5, 2022
Wireless War by Jonathan Pelson is informative and powerful. Pelson really understands the telecom business, especially how Chinese companies like Huawei play by different rules. His writing is clear, and he weaves seamlessly from the personal story to the bigger picture.
Knowledge is power, and Pelson cogently argues that the knowledge to run 5G and other telecommunications systems translates to political power. The battle for telecom business is not Coke versus Pepsi or McDonald's Versus Burger King, but a matter of national security.
As Wireless Wars concerns national security, is well-researched, and well-written, Wireless Wars deserves five stars.
Knowledge is power, and Pelson cogently argues that the knowledge to run 5G and other telecommunications systems translates to political power. The battle for telecom business is not Coke versus Pepsi or McDonald's Versus Burger King, but a matter of national security.
As Wireless Wars concerns national security, is well-researched, and well-written, Wireless Wars deserves five stars.
June 27, 2022
An excellent overview of the threat to countries around the world posed by Huawei and other Chinese telecom equipment providers that act as extensions of the Chinese Communist Party. Pelson does a great job of providing an overview of the people and companies behind these developments over the last twenty years. He humanizes the story by providing insights and recollections from the people who were there. The book concludes with his thoughts on the key elements that will allow the US and its allies, which were late to recognize the threat, to move forward and overcome the risks and dangers that these companies pose.
March 27, 2023
We’ve all seen the demise of Nortel, Lucent, Bell Labs, etc. The rise of Huawei has been impressive. This book is about the role Chinese government backing played through state-backed corporate espionage and high levels of state funding to emerge as the leader in 5G telecommunications.
I found the detail backing the assertions convincing; Pelson is relentless in building his case. He is also quite thought-provoking in the implications in falling behind in this critical technology, as well as dependence on an adversarial state on a core technology.
A number of things i liked about the book. Pelson does a terrific job making the key technologies understandable and accessible to a lay reader. The use of short chapters, each making an important point, relentlessly building his case, makes the book easy to read. He takes on people issues as much as technology — the various anecdotes (including the epilogue) about turning games keepers into poachers were hair-raising. He did not spare Lucent, McKinsey or Nortel for their role in their fall.
The book could have been better in a few areas: A couple of short chapters in how this China, Inc. “playbook” has been tried in other areas: Semiconductors, jet engines, high speed trains, seed technology. There have been some successes and some failures. Even if the focus is on the wireless wars, it is important to understand both how other industries were attacked and what defenses have worked.
A second area of improvement would be to draw more from examples outside the US. There were a number of examples of firms opting for Huawei’s low cost technology, but how government policy has evolved and how for example Nokia and Ericsson have fought back are stories worth telling. Finally, as we look forward, India will almost certainly play a role — eventually it will be the largest market in the world, it has a massive pool of engineering talent, and a firm like Reliance have leapfrogged their competitors in India to build the leading low cost network in the world. They have committed to do the same in 5G, using some of the technologies and approaches Pelson highlighted at the end of the book.
A third area of improvement would be a deep dive on Huawei itself — a bit of an HBS case study. There have been plenty of examples in the world of firms having money thrown at them and failing abysmally. Let’s face it — at some point they stopped relying on “corporate espionage” and became a globally leading innovator. How did they do this?
It’s much easier to look backwards than forward, but Pelson takes a great stab at what might work — and how the government role might be divided with the private sector. If I were to strengthen this section i would show the example of space launch vehicles, where the US has “taken back” global leadership through a redefinition of NASA’s role versus the private sector.
I found the detail backing the assertions convincing; Pelson is relentless in building his case. He is also quite thought-provoking in the implications in falling behind in this critical technology, as well as dependence on an adversarial state on a core technology.
A number of things i liked about the book. Pelson does a terrific job making the key technologies understandable and accessible to a lay reader. The use of short chapters, each making an important point, relentlessly building his case, makes the book easy to read. He takes on people issues as much as technology — the various anecdotes (including the epilogue) about turning games keepers into poachers were hair-raising. He did not spare Lucent, McKinsey or Nortel for their role in their fall.
The book could have been better in a few areas: A couple of short chapters in how this China, Inc. “playbook” has been tried in other areas: Semiconductors, jet engines, high speed trains, seed technology. There have been some successes and some failures. Even if the focus is on the wireless wars, it is important to understand both how other industries were attacked and what defenses have worked.
A second area of improvement would be to draw more from examples outside the US. There were a number of examples of firms opting for Huawei’s low cost technology, but how government policy has evolved and how for example Nokia and Ericsson have fought back are stories worth telling. Finally, as we look forward, India will almost certainly play a role — eventually it will be the largest market in the world, it has a massive pool of engineering talent, and a firm like Reliance have leapfrogged their competitors in India to build the leading low cost network in the world. They have committed to do the same in 5G, using some of the technologies and approaches Pelson highlighted at the end of the book.
A third area of improvement would be a deep dive on Huawei itself — a bit of an HBS case study. There have been plenty of examples in the world of firms having money thrown at them and failing abysmally. Let’s face it — at some point they stopped relying on “corporate espionage” and became a globally leading innovator. How did they do this?
It’s much easier to look backwards than forward, but Pelson takes a great stab at what might work — and how the government role might be divided with the private sector. If I were to strengthen this section i would show the example of space launch vehicles, where the US has “taken back” global leadership through a redefinition of NASA’s role versus the private sector.
June 7, 2022
"I liked it." - 3 out of 5 star rating.
The author opens this book and throws his nuts on the table by explicitly stating: "This book is about China versus the world." Wait, peanuts of course... what were you.. nevermind.
But yeah, he makes his thoughts and viewpoint crystal clear from the very start. I respect that. As you would expect after such a strong introduction, you'll learn all about the 1984 mass surveillance state of China, how China leads the way globally as the number 1 intellectual property thief of the world, COVID-19 speculations and China's involvement, general Chinese history (economically and tech primarily), and much more.
Another particular highlight that was very interesting is how Chinese treat their employees, which if you don't know... is absolutely terrible. The Chinese and Germany relationship with Volkswagen vehicle sales was also very eye opening as well.
Finally, this ends with a doomsday cry about 5G and as the title states 'how we're fighting back.'
I enjoyed this book and it was definitely a random select for me, but a good one!
The author opens this book and throws his nuts on the table by explicitly stating: "This book is about China versus the world." Wait, peanuts of course... what were you.. nevermind.
But yeah, he makes his thoughts and viewpoint crystal clear from the very start. I respect that. As you would expect after such a strong introduction, you'll learn all about the 1984 mass surveillance state of China, how China leads the way globally as the number 1 intellectual property thief of the world, COVID-19 speculations and China's involvement, general Chinese history (economically and tech primarily), and much more.
Another particular highlight that was very interesting is how Chinese treat their employees, which if you don't know... is absolutely terrible. The Chinese and Germany relationship with Volkswagen vehicle sales was also very eye opening as well.
Finally, this ends with a doomsday cry about 5G and as the title states 'how we're fighting back.'
I enjoyed this book and it was definitely a random select for me, but a good one!
April 14, 2022
If you or anyone you know uses cellular technology then read this book...
December 24, 2024
Must-read, especially for those unclear on why Huawei was such a hot-button topic for a while.
Also useful for understanding how economic approaches break down when fundamental assumptions are broken (and the potential utility to those breaking them when so much in an existing system mindlessly assumes they are infallible).
For those interested in regulation, deregulation, competition, and national security, this book has something to chew on or debate.
Highly recommend.
Also useful for understanding how economic approaches break down when fundamental assumptions are broken (and the potential utility to those breaking them when so much in an existing system mindlessly assumes they are infallible).
For those interested in regulation, deregulation, competition, and national security, this book has something to chew on or debate.
Highly recommend.
February 8, 2025
This book started as a fascinating history and progressed to be an even more interesting analysis of the current competition between China and the West. Definitely recommend!
July 1, 2023
Достаточно забавная книга о том, как по мнению автора США просрали все полимеры в телекоммуникационной области, как лидером оказался Huawei и почему это плохо (потому что тоталитаризм, Синьцзян и коммунизм). И как США заборет кровавый коммунистический Китай (конечно же с помощью атлантов, которые в очередной раз расправят плечи, если, конечно, гнусные бюрократы из правительства и денежные мешки из корпораций дадут добро). Очень много смеялся. Только почему-то ощущение, что Джонатан всё это всерьёз, и это немного пугает.
November 13, 2022
The US invented cellular technology, taught the world and China how to make the gear to use it, and then handed them all the market to use it. Jonathan Pelson, a career-long telecommunications expert, shares insider industry stories never before told from the executives and scientists who built the industry and how the Chinese stole and undercut the market, reverse engineered and backdoored the technology , then deployed their surveillance state to protect their thefts. The case study on Nortel is particularly chilling. Pelson says that all is not lost and that America and the West can regain the upper hand with their own cybersecurity and counterintelligence efforts to retake the lead from China. This book is about 5G, national security and all the tertiary issues they intersect.
April 13, 2023
This book is meant to be a deep dive into the geopolitical conflicts underneath the rollout of 5G and cellular networks broadly, but primarily just covers Huawei without a lot of scrutiny. The author writes a lot expressing their concern about the company but I don't think they do a good job of explaining why in his own words. They mostly come down to it being a Chinese company and government warnings. The author's bias here doesn't allow them to do a lot of on-the-ground reporting.
For what it's worth, I do share the concerns about the company, but I would prefer the author steelman this rather than report uncertainty.
For what it's worth, I do share the concerns about the company, but I would prefer the author steelman this rather than report uncertainty.
August 9, 2022
Huawei Warning
This was an outstanding read.
A truly scary and alarming book.
Lots of details on 5G, Huawei, and state-run surveylence, espionage, and especially intellectual property theft.
For a similar book on general digital espionage, I recommend reading Black Code: The Battle for the Future of Cyberspace.
Highly recommended!
4.8/5
This was an outstanding read.
A truly scary and alarming book.
Lots of details on 5G, Huawei, and state-run surveylence, espionage, and especially intellectual property theft.
For a similar book on general digital espionage, I recommend reading Black Code: The Battle for the Future of Cyberspace.
Highly recommended!
4.8/5
December 18, 2022
Well researched and well written. Must read for anyone with interest in telecommunications.
March 19, 2023
Informative.
March 25, 2023
Fascinating subject delivered in a hard to follow method
August 6, 2025
Who wants to read a book about people climbing the corporate ladder? "Wireless Wars" is less a revelatory look at global technology and more a dull slog through corporate meetings and executive power plays. If you're hoping for insight into the real technology, the actual stakes, or a balanced geopolitical view, look elsewhere this book isn't it.
Instead, you're treated to page after page of self-important executives maneuvering for promotions, backroom deals that read like bad TV drama, and a tone-deaf celebration of corporate America. The whole thing reeks of American propaganda, with every other sentence praising US innovation while demonizing China with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. There's no nuance, no real analysis-just cheerleading for the home team.
Even worse, the so-called "insider" accounts feel completely fabricated. The dialogue in corporate meetings is stilted and unrealistic, as if the author wrote what he wished had been said rather than what anyone actually would. It's not informative, it's not entertaining, it's just a cringeworthy corporate fantasy wrapped in a nationalist flag.
Save your time and your money. If you want a book about telecom policy or 5G, find something written by someone with more respect for the reader's intelligence. If you want a book about corporate ladder climbing and propaganda, this might be for you-but honestly, you'd still be better off watching reruns of a bad 80s business drama.
1/5. Avoid.
Instead, you're treated to page after page of self-important executives maneuvering for promotions, backroom deals that read like bad TV drama, and a tone-deaf celebration of corporate America. The whole thing reeks of American propaganda, with every other sentence praising US innovation while demonizing China with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. There's no nuance, no real analysis-just cheerleading for the home team.
Even worse, the so-called "insider" accounts feel completely fabricated. The dialogue in corporate meetings is stilted and unrealistic, as if the author wrote what he wished had been said rather than what anyone actually would. It's not informative, it's not entertaining, it's just a cringeworthy corporate fantasy wrapped in a nationalist flag.
Save your time and your money. If you want a book about telecom policy or 5G, find something written by someone with more respect for the reader's intelligence. If you want a book about corporate ladder climbing and propaganda, this might be for you-but honestly, you'd still be better off watching reruns of a bad 80s business drama.
1/5. Avoid.
February 26, 2025
A really good book about how we as a nation were once the leader in invention and technology and how we just gave it away. We did this by regulations that made the corporations that were building the chips way back when and we're continuing to make them smaller because the technology was improving. Those companies needed to make new buildings for the factories of those chips and our government both sides allowed regulations to stop them from building, which put those factories out of business. To make them they went overseas, and then a man working at one of those factories was able to see to future himself and when it came time for new builds to be made he got loans and outbid others. This also gave him plans for the technology and he hired the right people after a while that man had taken over the chip industry which we once were the leader of. Now they have 5g towers everywhere even close to a military base here and aboard but most people don’t care. I grew up with a military man and a government man who knew about computers from the 50s and was shocked to read this book. This is a book that I re-read just because I could not believe all of the stupid things we did. A very good book that still should be read today.
December 24, 2023
This book accuses China of wanting to dominate and own 5G around the world, which could be the case since they undercut prices on 5G as a way to monopolize the market. If AI depends on big data and 5G on speed, then both the US and China underplay the idea that what they really want is as much user generated data as possible. The book started out great, but it becomes harder to follow for a layman, yet I also learned that 5G needs a greater spectrum of the overall net, which the government doesn't want to surrender easily. This tells me that neither side is trustworthy, and as a user, I am the product to be consumed. Someday our love affair with tech may be reduced as we come to realize what seemed like a platform to share and proliferate information only wants to steal all our intellectual property and reduce us to mere bits of insignificant data points. Thus diminishing our humanity.
October 27, 2023
Интересно наблюдать, как со временем меняется риторика западных авторов, пишущих на технологические темы. От восторгов японским менеджментом через умеренно-доброжелательное отношение к корейским компаниям пришли к войнам с Китаем. Занимательное чтиво о том, как коммунистическая партия при помощи Huawei угрожает всему свободному миру своими передовыми технологиями. Рекомендую.
November 26, 2023
Decent background on the last few decades of US telecom industry. Doesn't go into depth about either the US or Chinese side. The book is about how Huawei got to its #1 position with government help and how the West needs to stop it but I don't think it really went into depth about Huawei enough and should present more evidence to make the argument more interesting.
August 18, 2024
A great book just for the historical accounts of how the telecom industry evolved/dissolved during the 90's and the early 2000's. Really a story needs to be heard.
my favorite quote from this book: "It is different in a war." Many commercial/business decisions need to take this into account.
The story doesn't end with the conclusion of the book. We shall see what comes next.
my favorite quote from this book: "It is different in a war." Many commercial/business decisions need to take this into account.
The story doesn't end with the conclusion of the book. We shall see what comes next.
February 15, 2025
With the current climate of the world, this book was an excellent way to dip my toes into the pool. It was informative regarding how a Chinese based company became an integral part of our wireless networks.
February 13, 2023
Some interesting stuff, but too superficial and stridently anti-China for my taste.
November 17, 2023
Good to have a deeper dive on how China is taking over the 5G industry and what we can do about it.
April 26, 2024
Very informative history of how we got to the current mess in the wireless market.
February 8, 2025
Good overview of China influence in the telecommunications/wireless industry.
September 21, 2025
Stressful!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews