According to reports from the National Conference on Industry and Information Technology, China now has more than 1.3 million 5G base stations. Furthermore, the total 5G terminal users in the country hit 497 million. Xiao Yaqing, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, stated that in 2022, China will further enhance the capacity of information and communication services. It will carry out 5G and Gigabit optical network construction in a steady and orderly manner.
The “China 5G Development, Economic and Social Impact White Paper” recently released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology claims that 5G will directly drive a total economic output of 1.3 trillion yuan ($203.8 billion) in 2021. It will also directly drive an economic added value of about 300 billion yuan ($47 billion).
The “White Paper” points out that 2021 will be a year of major breakthroughs in China’s 5G commercialization. This year, China’s 5G network coverage has expanded from cities to townships. The penetration rate of 5G mobile phones exceeds 75%, and the annual shipments will hit 250 million units.
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China is far ahead of the world in 5G deployment
In its next step, China will strengthen its support and investment in 5G. It will invest in 5G big data, basic software, industrial software, artificial intelligence, and other basic core technologies. It will also promote advanced industrial foundations and industrial chain modernization. In addition, Shang Bing, chairman of the Internet Society of China, suggested that it is necessary to vigorously promote the construction of new-generation information and communication infrastructure such as 5G and gigabit networks and to deploy 6G and other new network technology research and development.
Furthermore, China believes that it is necessary to enhance technological innovation capabilities. It will accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies such as high-end chips, network slicing, and basic software.
As of the end of last year, China had 718,000 5G base stations, accounting for 70% of the world’s total. This year, the country will have well over 1 million 5G base stations. A professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Sun Songlin, said
“China is currently building a large-scale 5G network, which is far ahead of the world. However, there are many voices of doubt in the industry. In the 4G era, China’s mobile Internet applications are number one in the world…but earlier deployments in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other countries and regions are not as prosperous as China. To be precise, it was the large-scale, wide-coverage 4G that detonated the mobile Internet. From the very beginning, 5G will roll out on a large scale and with wide coverage. It is the same logic. In the process of long-term integration with the industry, new business forms will be produced and industrial upgrading and digital transformation will be promoted”.
