5G-A bridge to new telecom, industry era

As China celebrates the sixth anniversary of 5G commercialization, the fusion of artificial intelligence with next-generation connectivity is unlocking unprecedented industrial transformation, which is of crucial importance to the upgrade of the country's sprawling industrial economy, corporate executives and experts said.

What began as a high-speed network blueprint has now evolved into a dynamic ecosystem where 5G-Advanced, or 5G-A, technology bridges today's smart applications and tomorrow's 6G ambitions — with China at the forefront of this global shift, they added.

Globally, 5G has achieved staggering adoption, surpassing 2 billion connections by 2024 — half of which are in China, the first market to hit 1 billion 5G users, according to a report from the GSMA, an industry group representing the world's largest mobile phone operators.

By 2030, 5G is projected to comprise 57 percent of total mobile connections globally, with China's robust network laying the foundation for industrial digitization, the GSMA said.

Yet, like a vast highway system needing traffic control, 5G's potential hinges on intelligent orchestration. Enter AI: generative models and machine learning are becoming 5G's "digital brain," optimizing everything from factory floors to low-altitude drones, experts added.

In real-world applications, this synergy has taken center stage. Humanoid robots perform precision tasks, autonomous taxis navigate urban grids, and AI devices redefine human-machine interaction — all powered by 5G-A's low latency and AI's real-time decision-making.

He Biao, general manager of China Mobile, said, the company "will trial 6G technologies on its 5G-A infrastructure, and promote the integrated research and development of the two".

As an important upgrade of 5G, 5G-A networks theoretically deliver tenfold improvements in peak data rates and connection density compared to 5G.

More importantly, 5G-A base stations have integrated sensing and communication capabilities. They not only handle voice and data transmission, but also can function as distributed radar systems, enabling real-time detection of airborne objects within their coverage zones, China Mobile said, adding that it is testing such a system to facilitate the development of the low-altitude economy, such as drone delivery in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.