Lingang's five-year telecom plan unveiled

Shanghai Communications Administration set up an office in Lingang on Monday to lead development of next-generation telecommunications in the special area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

A plan for the construction of telecom infrastructure in Lingang in the next five years was released, offering a 5G coverage map that involves the entire area.

Internet of Vehicles will connect highways and main streets in the special area, according to the plan.

The plan proposes to build “two hubs” — an Asia Pacific information and communication hub and a regional connection hub for new infrastructure in the Yangtze River Delta.

Four networks are to be built at the same time — a full access optical fiber broadband network, a wireless communication network, a large capacity metropolitan area network and an internal and external collaborative industrial Internet of Things.

According to the blueprint almost 4,000 5G outdoor macro base stations will be built in the next five years. 

Xie Yuqi, deputy director of the administration, said the establishment of the office in Lingang will strengthen the construction of 5G, the industrial Internet of Things and other next generation communications infrastructure in the special area.

The office will also promote the layout of new Internet infrastructure, such as special channels of Internet and new Internet Exchange Center, and focus on implementation of communication laws, regulations and industrial policies.

Sun Xiaohe, deputy chief of the high tech industry and technology innovation division of the Lingang Special Area Administrative Committee, said the application of 5G technology in industry is better than in the field of consumption as 5G can realize low latency and fast response of the network.

“It will greatly empower the development of industry,” Sun said.