Huawei is the only partner listed on Amerilink's website, though the consulting firm says it now has other telecom-equipment companies as customers.

Such ambition and the commitment of nearly half its staff to R&D have helped Huawei become the world's second-largest telecom-equipment supplier.

Nokia Siemens Networks, one of the telecom equipment sector's major players, is becoming more of a services company that sells some hardware on the side.