[Chapter 894: One Step Ahead]
"Damn it, Andy, what is this CDMA stuff? I don't remember Bell Labs developing anything like that."
"Sir, this is something developed by Owen Jacobs. Its prototype originated from military communication systems. It has lower power output and consumes less energy."
The old-timers at Morgan Stanley were confused. If this was so great, why had they invested so heavily in GSM-related companies?
"Sir, they just released this. It's not that simple. The bigger possibility is that they're competing for the next generation communication standard."
Not just the Morgan Stanley guys were confused; the Motorola team looked equally bewildered.
Dang, if that were the case, the communications field would surely be reshuffled. Motorola's advantage in this regard would basically vanish.
They were all in communications; the gap between CDMA and GSM didn't need much explaining. No matter how shameless one was, they wouldn't dare tamper with that. But if you were a salesperson, it was a different story; you could spin it any way you wanted.
Don't doubt it; there were genuinely people who believed it. During the time when CDMA and GSM coexisted, there were plenty who claimed how CDMA was unreliable. It wasn't strange at all.
Because of this, many had seen a significant downturn.
Strange, isn't it? Most users thought GSM was better.
"Sir, Hong Kong just completed full digital mobile network coverage; it seems a bit inappropriate."
"Cough cough, what does your think tank say?"
"Most people support Australia, especially given the rapid economic growth over the last few years."
"Australia?" William White nearly choked; surely they weren't planning to let kangaroos use phones.
"Twenty million people over millions of square kilometers. Filson, the most suitable for the satellite system is indeed Australia."
"Though many people oppose it, it's a tough call."
"It's not tough, Filson. I don't plan to go at it alone. Talk to our European partners; we only need to maintain a GSM ratio. Of course, they need to pay me royalties.
Come on, no one can eat the whole pie alone. Even if we're tied to Motorola, we still can't digest it."
Filson was taken aback; he hadn't expected William White to be so accommodating. If this news got out, the European partners would surely rejoice.
"As for the testing site, let's stick with Hong Kong. It has a high population density and limited land area; that's real business.
By the way, have a serious talk with the Japanese. Once both Japan and Hong Kong proceed, surely the Chinese would accept as well."
For William White to now introduce CDMA was indeed exasperating. He had shot himself in the foot--what more was there to say?
He was up to no good, and even a blind man could guess that. But even if you knew, what would you do, not use it?
"What the hell is this nonsense?"
"Shut up. How many times have I told you? Never speak harshly."
"Sorry, Dad, but William White is really pushing it. With this CDMA, I have to shell out another huge investment."
Seeing his son apologize, old Superman brushed it off. The kid thought he could go toe-to-toe with William White--he probably still didn't have the chops.
"I've talked to my American friends; the game is deep. William White isn't about to play solo. So your worries are unfounded.
Also, don't expect an acquisition; the profits from Hong Kong Telecom aren't his concern. This is a platform for a new technology experiment."
"That's not right, Dad! What about after '97? He may still be impacted."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Kid, his relationships up north are also pretty good. As long as he doesn't make a principled mistake, who would dare cross him?"
Old Superman's judgment wasn't wrong. You capitalists? It's all about making money. If you have an unreasonable idea, you're bound to get burned.
What? Is that unreal?
Americans are different. They're neither John Bull nor the French. The founders of this nation aimed to escape steep taxes. Forget about the president; big government just doesn't fly here.
Old odds and ends just don't apply. The tax burden in America is relatively low, making it impossible to create a welfare society.
At this rate, the wealthy individuals would just run away. William White had no interest in politics at all; it was a big pit of fire, not only unprofitable but also a potential for massive losses.
As for that oddball family, their position was awkward. They couldn't enter the top-tier wealthy circles since they were nouveau riche. They had plenty of money at home, which made it possible to take risks. If they struck gold, they could definitely join the upper class.
"Not acquiring Bell Labs was indeed a major oversight by Morgan. My God, Alan, I can't fathom that so many communication-related inventions came from this lab."
Buffett felt a bit sentimental about William White's luck; the breakup of the telephone and telegraph company had effectively served dinner to William White's plate.
"Ha ha, Warren, not necessarily. If they had the chance to do it all over again, they would still opt for the split. Just look at the valuation of the little Bells; they're essentially seven telephone and telegraph companies. The profits..."
Greenspan stopped short, noting Warren Buffett was also among the beneficiaries. What was the point of acting like a saint here?
William White had already been quite strong. He could've reached for those little Bells; they should be grateful he didn't.
"True, it was his hard work. If it had been handed over to those incompetent fools, nothing good would have come of it."
"Sigh, there might have been results, but unfortunately, they didn't understand packaging. Many have said that William White was a marketing genius. It's not that his tech was exceptionally advanced; he simply knew how to sell it." Greenspan said this with a hint of bitterness. His conversation with Warren Buffett was easily devalued.
"Old buddy, I heard he already struck a deal with Motorola for cross-usage of patents? That's quite generous."
Greenspan glanced at the old man. Wasn't he the one who wasn't into high-tech investments? What was all this concern about?
"Yes, you've seen the stock market performance. But you seem to have misunderstood something; Legendary is just selling phones. Those server devices are just a side gig--either made by Siemens or Motorola, he doesn't actually produce anything himself."
Not just Buffett was confused; Greenspan was too. Did he really fear getting into manufacturing?
If William White knew what they were thinking, he'd surely break out laughing. Come on, if those server devices were produced in China, wouldn't peanuts be in a fracas?
Factories linked to radio semiconductors were highly valued in Washington. Toshiba nearly crumbled after selling two nine-axis machine tools. If William White moved a semiconductor factory to China, it would transcend issues of nuclear submarines.
William White firmly believed there could soon be quite a mess.
Rest assured, the CIA would definitely find a way to prove those CPUs were used for military purposes.
Don't doubt it; they would for sure do that. If there were no imagined enemies in this world, they might not need to be disbanded, but their budget would surely be cut.
To William White, South Korea was no threat; their missiles were about as dangerous as firecrackers, only capable of self-damage. The CIA painted them as dreadfully dangerous merely to secure funding.
*****
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