5G infrastructure covers more than 90% of Chinese villages
5G networks being rolled out by Chinese telecommunications carriers have already reached every city and town across the country, local news services reported. Xinhua News Agency Reported.
According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 5G infrastructure covers more than 90% of all Chinese villages.
The ministry also reported that Chinese telecom operators have already deployed a total of 3.84 million 5G base stations, accounting for more than 60% of the global total.
According to the report, since China first issued 5G licenses for commercial use five years ago, 5G technology has been integrated into various sectors, including industry, power, mining, healthcare and education.
China has also built a total of 300 5G factories and launched more than 13,000 projects for the application of 5G technology in industrial sites.
The ministry said China will continue to push ahead with 5G development and expand 5G network coverage in places such as cultural and tourist sites, medical facilities, universities, transportation hubs and subway systems.
Chinese officials and business executives said at various sessions at the Mobile World Congress Shanghai in Shanghai last month that China will step up efforts to commercialize 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology, which will enable broader applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in many fields and also pave the way for future 6G systems.
This year marks the commercialization of 5G-Advanced technology, which is seen as a significant upgrade for 5G networks in terms of both functionality and coverage.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Zhao Zhiguo, chief engineer at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, stressed the importance of 5G-A as it deepens the integration of current 5G technology with new generation of information technologies, especially AI.
The official also stressed the need to leverage 5G to power emerging industries such as intelligent connected cars and low altitude economy. The introduction of integrated sensing and passive IoT technologies is essential for scenarios involving ubiquitous connectivity and high-end manufacturing, he added.
China Mobile said in April that it plans to roll out 5G-Advanced technology in more than 300 cities across China this year, according to local reports.
The telco, which claims to be playing a leading role in developing the 5G-A standard, also plans to push ahead with the launch of more than 20 5G-A-enabled mobile phones by the end of the year.
China Mobile has set up 5G-A demonstration halls across China to showcase its new 5G-A network.
