5G empowers community service centers
Shanghai's first batch of community service centers equipped with 5G technology was unveiled in Hongkou District on Monday.
The "community affair space stations," featuring a 5G video communication system, were launched at the citizen service center in Beiwaitan, or the North Bund Subdistrict, the Shanyi neighborhood in Sichuan Road N. Subdistrict and the Yusi neighborhood of Quyang Road Subdistrict.
Citizens can access services at their nearest station rather than have to walk to the service center, the district government said.
Test data showed the 5G network was able to provide a peak single-user download speed of 1.6 Gbps, nearly 16 times faster than 4G. Aside from speed, the low latency of 5G network is especially helpful for applications of the Internet of Things.
"The space station allows us to experience the convenience of the 5G technology," said a resident surnamed Song in the Yutian Community of Quyang Road Subdistrict. He spent several minutes applying for a medical service on Monday.
Citizens only need to bring their identity cards to the station where staff will guide them to register and talk with officials who can handle issues for them.
Such remote services will be promoted to all community service centers, citizens' service centers and neighborhood committee across Hongkou, according to the district's civil affairs bureau.
The district has initiated a one-stop service staff scheme to ask a single community official to handle all kinds of issues for the residents. Those all-around service staff will be able to serve more residents through the 5G station services, the government said.
Hongkou will develop mobile terminals in the future to allow residents to access the remote services at home, the government said.
Hongkou is striving to become the world’s first district to be covered with gigabit 5G connectivity and broadband network.
The district completed the yearly target of the major carriers, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, of 5G base station installation by the end of August to have the most dense 5G network among local districts.
The district has initially released 10 5G applications, covering medical services, education, finance, retail, public security, fire prevention, urban management, construction and sports. Many of the services are being offered at hospitals, schools, construction sites and sports venues in Hongkou.