Huawei noted that there are now more than 20 commercial 5G-A devices on the market
Chinese carrier China Unicom Beijing and Huawei have deployed a large-scale commercial 5G-Advanced, or ‘5.5G’ 3CC network in Beijing, the latter said in a release.
Huawei noted that the 5.5G network covers more than 70% of the area within the city’s 4th Ring Road. The operator has achieved comprehensive 5.5G coverage for stadiums, metro stations and tunnels, residential areas, scenic spots, business districts and universities in key areas within the city’s 4th Ring Road and Beijing Municipal Administrative Center.
China Unicom Beijing had carried out a large-scale 5.5G network demonstration at the beginning of 2024 followed by the recent commercial 5.5G network deployment in China’s capital city.
Huawei noted that a mature 5.5G industry ecosystem is taking shape with the first version of 5.5G standards frozen in June 2024 and more than 20 commercial 5.5G devices now on the market.
In August 2022, China Unicom Beijing and Huawei commercialized what it claimed to be the world’s largest 3.5 GHz 2CC network, which has brought 200 MHz 2CC coverage to more than 85% of Beijing’s urban area while providing comprehensive coverage for Beijing’s core areas and the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center. In 2023, China Unicom Beijing and Huawei completed a 2.1 GHz band deployment targeting key urban scenarios.
Huawei said that the new commercial 5.5G 3CC network consists of more than 4,000 base stations and covers well-known landmarks in Beijing, such as Wukesong, Capital Indoor Stadium, Workers’ Stadium, Beijing Railway Station, Guijie Street, Panjiayuan, and Beijing University of Technology. The network provides support for services such as immersive video, UHD live streaming and cloud gaming, according to the vendor.
Yang Lifan, deputy general manager of China Unicom Beijing, said: “We have the world’s largest 200 MHz 5G network and it makes our 3CC carrier aggregation much easier. 5.5G 3CC coverage will be extended to match that of our current 200 MHz 5G network.”
Huawei launched what it claimed to be the world’s first “5.5G” intelligent core network during an event at MWC 2024, which took place in Barcelona, Spain, earlier this year.
The announcement was made by George Gao, president of Huawei cloud core network product line. Gao said that 2024 will be the first year for commercialization of 5.5G or 5G-Advanced.
Huawei believes that previous investments made by operators to deploy 5G network infrastructure will be protected with the future launch of 5G-Advanced, Huawei’s president of wireless solution, Cao Ming, previously said during a media roundtable at Huawei’s 14th Global Mobile Broadband Forum (MBBF), held In October 2023 in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
The executive said that 5G-Advanced networks will not require large investments by operators in new network architecture and will be launched using 5G Standalone (SA) networks. He also said that Huawei is working with its partners to make sure that future 5.5G applications, devices and services will be fully compatible with current 5G networks.
