Friday, May 15, 2020

U.S. tightens semiconductor restrictions on Huawei

U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued new rules aimed at cutting off Huawei's access to advanced semiconductors designed or fabricated using U.S. technology or software in other countries.

Specifically, BIS is amending its longstanding foreign-produced direct product rule and the Entity List to narrowly and strategically target Huawei’s acquisition of semiconductors that are the direct product of certain U.S. software and technology.

The following foreign-produced items will now be subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR):

  • Items, such as semiconductor designs, when produced by Huawei and its affiliates on the Entity List (e.g., HiSilicon), that are the direct product of certain U.S. Commerce Control List (CCL) software and technology; and
  • Items, such as chipsets, when produced from the design specifications of Huawei or an affiliate on the Entity List (e.g., HiSilicon), that are the direct product of certain CCL semiconductor manufacturing equipment located outside the United States.  Such foreign-produced items will only require a license when there is knowledge that they are destined for reexport, export from abroad, or transfer (in-country) to Huawei or any of its affiliates on the Entity List.

To prevent immediate adverse economic impacts on foreign foundries utilizing U.S. semiconductor manufacturing equipment that have initiated any production step for items based on Huawei design specifications as of May 15, 2020, such foreign-produced items are not subject to these new licensing requirements so long as they are reexported, exported from abroad, or transferred (in-country) by 120 days from the effective date.

“Despite the Entity List actions the Department took last year, Huawei and its foreign affiliates have stepped-up efforts to undermine these national security-based restrictions through an indigenization effort.  However, that effort is still dependent on U.S. technologies,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.  “This is not how a responsible global corporate citizen behaves.  We must amend our rules exploited by Huawei and HiSilicon and prevent U.S. technologies from enabling malign activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.”

https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2020/05/commerce-addresses-huaweis-efforts-undermine-entity-list-restricts

TSMC to invest $12 billion in 5nm fab in Arizona

TSMC confirmed plans to build and operate an advanced semiconductor fab in Arizona -- its secend manufacturing site in the United States. The company already operates a fab in Camas, Washington and design centers in Austin and San Jose.

The new facility in Arizona represents a $12 billion investment. It will utilize TSMC’s 5-nanometer technology for semiconductor wafer fabrication, have a 20,000 semiconductor wafer per month capacity.

TSMC said the fabrication facility will create over 1,600 high-tech professional jobs directly, and thousands of indirect jobs in the semiconductor ecosystem. Construction is planned to start in 2021 with production targeted to begin in 2024.

TSMC cited a strong partnership with the U.S. administration and the State of Arizona on this project.

https://www.tsmc.com/tsmcdotcom/PRListingNewsAction.do?action=detail&newsid=THGOANPGTH


  • TSMC is expected to ramp 5nm production in Taiwan beginning in Q2

  • TSMC's 2020 current production capacity is approximately 12 million wafers

U.S. issues final 90-day extension of license authorizations for Huawei

The U.S. Department of Commerce extended the terms of the existing Temporary General License (TGL) authorizations for Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and its non-U.S. affiliates (Huawei) on the Entity List for 90 days.

The Department said its 90-day extension provides an opportunity for users of Huawei devices and telecommunication providers—particularly those in rural U.S. communities—to continue to temporarily operate such devices and existing networks while hastening the transition to alternative suppliers.

The Department is also notifying the public that activities authorized in the TGL may be revised and possibly eliminated after August 13, 2020.

https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2020/05/department-commerce-issues-expected-final-90-day-extension-temporary

China Mobile launches enterprise Private Line Service based on NG OTN

China Mobile Guangdong introduced an enterprise private line service based on Next-Generation Optical Transport Network (NG OTN) technology from Huawei.

The new service runs between Guangzhou’s Dongfengzhong and Liwan districts. The companies said their joint innovation in NG OTN technology defines a smaller-granularity and more flexible optical network that supports an expanded number of service connections, higher resource utilization, and lower transmission latency, further enhancing the capability of smart private networks.

Highlights:

  •  Minimum service granularity is 2 Mbit/s, and the number of network connections is increased 100 times. 100G can support 1000 service connections, providing massive premium private line services for industries.
  •  Reducing processing latency of devices by up to 90% assures ultra-low latency for financial and industrial manufacturing scenarios.
  •  2 Mbit/s to 100 Gbit/s stepless speed and hitless adjustment provides bandwidth on demand (BOD) without interrupting services.
  •  The integrated all-optical network is compatible with multiple technologies such as SDH, OTN, and NG OTN, supports flexible access of enterprise customers anywhere in the province, and ensures fast service provisioning within days.

China Mobile Guangdong has deployed Optical Cross-Connect (OXC) devices at more than 40 transmission nodes. The cloud-based OTN intelligent management and control system has managed over 55,000 NEs, facilitating China Mobile Guangdong's construction of an all-optical network.



Intel outlines 2030 sustainability goals

Intel outlined new 2030 goals for continued progress toward environmental and social sustainability, including net positive water use, 100% green power, zero waste to landfills across its global manufacturing operations, doubling the number of women and underrepresented minorities in senior leadership roles, and scaling the impact of its supply chain human rights programs.

In its newly released its annual Corporate Responsibility Report, Intel defines global challenges that expand its commitment in resources, expertise, global reach and influence beyond its own operations to address challenges that can only be solved by collaborating across major organizations, industries and countries.

“The world is facing challenges that we understand better each day as we collect and analyze more data, but they go unchecked without a collective response – from climate change to deep digital divides around the world to the current pandemic that has fundamentally changed all our lives,” said Intel CEO Bob Swan. “We can solve them, but only by working together.”

Intel committed to engage industries, governments and communities to tackle three specific global challenges over the next decade:


  • Intel will work with partners in healthcare, life sciences and government to apply technology in strategic manufacturing, transportation and healthcare initiatives, including accelerating cures for diseases and improving health. Its efforts will include the company’s recently announced Pandemic Response Technology Initiative, which applies cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance technology solutions to better diagnose, treat and cure COVID-19 and to help prepare for future pandemics.
  • Intel will lead a global coalition of industry leaders toward a common objective: The safety of autonomous vehicles should not be a point of differentiation but a shared goal. Through collaboration with industry and governments and development of new safety technologies and standards – such as Responsibility-Sensitive Safety (RSS) and the forthcoming IEEE 2846 – that will provide clear guidance on what it means for an autonomous vehicle to drive safely, we have the potential to save more lives with autonomous vehicles when compared to human drivers.
  • Intel will work with other companies to accelerate adoption of inclusive business practices across industries by creating and implementing a Global Inclusion Index open standard. Using common metrics, it will allow the industry to track progress in area such as achieving greater levels of women and minorities in senior and technical positions, accessible technology and equal pay. Intel has already been collaborating with Lenovo to convene CDIOs and HR professionals to drive industry transformation and stay at the forefront of this work.
  • Intel will partner with governments and communities to address the digital divide and expand access to technology skills needed for current and future jobs. An example is the Intel® AI For Youth program, which provides AI curriculum and resources to over 100,000 high school and vocational students in 10 countries and will continue to scale globally. By 2030, Intel plans to partner with governments in 30 countries and 30,000 institutions worldwide and is committed to empower more than 30 million people with AI skills training.
  • Intel will work with PC manufacturers to create the most sustainable and energy-efficient PC in the world – one that eliminates carbon, water and waste in its design and use. Specifically, the company is exploring a sustainability roadmap that would include enabling sensor technology to reduce power usage, partnering with material vendors on recyclable packaging and developing longer-term, energy-efficient architectures.
  • Intel will collaborate with industry and policymakers to apply technology to reduce emissions across high-impact industries.
  • Technology is not just at the heart of breakthroughs. It plays a vital role in the global communities, governments and services that people depend on every day to solve current crises while proactively tackling future ones.

http://csrreportbuilder.intel.com/pdfbuilder/pdfs/CSR-2019-20-Full-Report.pdf

China Mobile deploys ZTE's 5G transport management system

The Guangdong Branch of China Mobile has completed the large-scale deployment of ZTE’s intelligent cloud-based 5G transport management and control system.

ZTE's ZENIC ONE (UME)is now providing unified management of 150,000 PTN network elements in Guangdong province.

ZENIC ONE adopts a new-generation B/S management and control system with the capability to manage up to 300,000+ network elements. It is based on a cloud-native, microservices technology. Moreover, the ZENIC ONE (UME) system supports the unified management of various types of transport networks, such as PTN/SPN, IPRAN, and OTN, providing high availability and elastic system scalability.

In order to improve the intelligent O&M efficiency and address the challenges of the SPN network management, the Guangdong Branch of China Mobile has gradually deployed ZTE’s ZENIC ONE (UME) in its existing networks since July 2019. To date, the ZENIC ONE system has been deployed in the cloud resource pool of the Guangdong Branch of China Mobile, realizing centralized management, control and analysis of the network.

SK Telecom shows 5G phone with quantum random number generator

SK Telecom, together with Samsung Electronics and ID Quantique, demonstrated the first 5G smartphone equipped with a quantum random number generator chipset.

The Samsung Galaxy A Quantum with integrated quantum-enhanced cryptography will allow customers to experience advanced security through two-factor authentication for T-ID, biometric authentication-based payment for SK Pay and mobile e-certification service.

“Securing mobiles phones has become a top priority for mobile operators, who are also looking to generate new revenues,” Says Grégoire Ribordy, co-founder and CEO of ID Quantique. “With its compact size and low power consumption, our latest Quantis QRNG chip can be embedded in any smartphone, to ensure trusted authentication and encryption of sensitive information. It will bring a new level of security to the mobile phone industry.”

  • Last year, SK Telecom and ID Quantique were awarded quantum communication network-building projects in the U.S. and Europe (EU), and applied QRNG to SK Telecom’s 5G authentication center (AuC) for the first time in the world. Going forward, SK Telecom will expand its footprint in the quantum security business by integrating QRNGs to more devices and networks.