5G mobile subscribers in China reached 966 million
China had surpassed 4.04 million 5G base stations as of the end of August, according to data released by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
This figure represents 32.1% of all mobile base stations across China.
Additionally, 5G mobile subscribers in the Asian nation reached 966 million, the ministry added.
China also claims global leadership in 5G technology, with 42% of the world’s 5G standard essential patent declarations originating from the country.
The ministry further noted that China would continue pushing forward with 5G advancements, aiming to extend coverage to cultural and tourism spots, healthcare centers, universities, transportation hubs and subway systems.
Chinese operators have been rapidly deploying 5G services and this technology now covers every city and town in the country, as well as more than 90% of its villages, the Chinese government previously said.
Since the issuance of China’s first batch of 5G licenses for commercial use five years ago, 5G technology has been integrated into various sectors such as industry, power, mining, healthcare and education. Previous report also highlighted that China has also built nearly 300 5G factories and launched over 13,000 projects for the application of 5G technology in industrial settings.
The ministry had said that the commercialization of 5G services had generated a total economic output of approximately CNY5.6 trillion ($785 billion) in China over the past five years.
China will boost efforts to commercially launch 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technologies, which will enable a wide range of applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in many sectors and will also pave the way for future 6G systems, Chinese officials and company executives previously said during different sessions at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, which took place earlier this year in the Chinese City.
2024 marks the commercial launch of 5G-A technology, which is seen as a key upgrade to the 5G network in terms of both functionality and coverage.
During his speech at the opening ceremony of Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Zhao Zhiguo, chief engineer of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stressed the importance of 5G-A as it will deepen the integration of current 5G technology with new-generation information technologies, especially AI.
The official also highlighted the need to leverage 5G to empower emerging industries such as intelligent connected vehicles and the low-altitude economy. The deployment of integrated sensing and passive internet of things technologies is essential for scenarios involving ubiquitous connectivity and high-end manufacturing, the official added.
In April, China Mobile said it plans to launch 5G-Advanced technology in over 300 cities across China this year, according to local press reports.
