Chongqing – Even in the era of rapidly advancing 5G technology, a global digital divide still exists. According to data from Internet World Stats, as of June 30, 2022, there were 5.39 billion internet users worldwide, with an internet penetration rate of 67.9%, including 43.2% in Africa and 67.0 in Asia. %. Nearly 3 billion people still do not have access to the internet.
The future of communications technology is expected to move from increasing network speeds, as seen in the 3G to 5G era, to expanding coverage, possibly through satellite technology.
Xia Yong, chairman of China Mobile Group Chongqing Co Ltd and deputy member of the 14th National People’s Congress, aims to integrate network technology and satellite communications to enhance coverage. The terrain of Chongqing, which Xia represents, serves as an ideal testing ground for this effort.
Xia Yong, Chairman of China Mobile Group Chongqing Co., Ltd., vice member of the 14th National People’s Congress. We plan to propose enhancements to the “5G + BeiDou” application. (Photo/Chen Yingzhu)
Chongqing is characterized by mountainous terrain and numerous underground tunnels, including a complex underground ring road approximately 7.5 kilometers long, especially near the People’s Liberation Monument. This complexity often prevents standard navigation systems from providing accurate directions, resulting in drivers often getting lost.
To address this, Xia proposed a “5G+Beidou” high-precision navigation system. This innovative approach involves installing large numbers of satellite positioning devices indoors and strengthening base stations to overcome the lack of satellite navigation in China’s underground loops.
Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), also known as COMPASS, is China’s independently developed global satellite navigation system and the third most mature satellite navigation system after GPS and GLONASS. BDS, along with GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO, is recognized as a service provider by the United Nations Commission on Satellite Navigation.
This year, Xia will focus on infrastructure development, expanding industrial applications, strengthening the industrial ecosystem, and promoting innovation, and will propose “5G+Beidou” to speed up industrial applications.
“5G + Hokuto can be expected to have a wide range of applications, including information communications, crisis management, and security protection,” said Xia. “Chongqing is known for its mountains and has rich application scenarios for high-precision positioning technology.”
Mr. Xia expressed his desire to promote the development of the “5G+Beidou” industry in Chongqing and strengthen support for industrial growth. Through the first trial in Chongqing, the insights gained could be scaled up across China and internationally.