Carriers to invest 200 billion yuan in 5G and other tech

Top carriers including China Mobile and China Telecom plan to invest 200 billion yuan (US$31.7 billion) within four years to push 5G development and offer the latest telecommunications services in the Yangtze River Delta region, Shanghai Daily learned on Friday.

The investment will allow local people to enjoy 5G and other technologies “much earlier” nationwide. 

In the long term, the region covering Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces will become a world-class “infrastructure highland and communications hub," according to an agreement signed today between governments and carriers.

The firms include China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and China Tower.

Offering 20 to 50 times faster speeds compared with 4G networks, 5G technology creates new applications and business opportunities for drones, the Internet of Things and super-high speed video streaming, analysts said. In Shanghai, 5G application and testing is “beyond just telecommunications,” China Mobile said.

Last month, Shanghai launched a 5G test in the Hongkou District. A drone flew and transferred back high-resolution video using a trial 5G network, showcasing the speed and precision of the next-generation technology.

Other projects of the agreement include faster broadband networks covering the whole region, environmental protection using sensors and data analysis, and national centers for core networks in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing.