Huawei recently launched a 5G-Advanced (5G-A) Pioneers Program in Shanghai, China, reported Telecoms.com. Huawei and its six leading global 5G-A operator partners are pooling resources to promote 5G-A development collectively.
The joint venture consists of seven companies, including Huawei, China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, and HKT (all China-based companies), plus du (UAE) and Omantel (Oman). The group’s goals include “pooling wisdom and driving the development of the next-generation mobile network.”
Telecoms.com reported that 5G-A delivers vastly reduced latency and increased speeds compared to current 5G networks. The operators noted that the initiative will create new revenue streams and business opportunities beyond technical advancements.
Telecoms.com reports operators are already implementing 5G-A as follows:
- China Mobile is deploying the first commercial 5G-A network, which already covers 250 cities and counties in China. The plan is to fully deploy the network nationwide by the end of the year, with commercial rollout expected in 2026.
- China Unicom has made significant progress in 5G-A deployment, specifically in industrial manufacturing, offering 4 ms latency and 99.999 percent reliability. The operator plans to scale up these efforts to boost revenue growth.
- China Telecom has deployed 3CC (Three Component Carrier), a technology that combines three frequency bands to boost network performance. 3CC enables peak downlink speeds of 5 Gbps and uplink speeds of 1 Gbps, even in high-traffic areas, including in emerging sectors like drone and air taxis.
- HKT has successfully deployed mmWave Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology to underserved areas, including remote villages and islands. The ultra-high-speed internet can provide uninterrupted service even during extreme network congestion.
- Dubai launched the first 5G-A “Future Home” demonstration project in 2023 in the UAE. In conjunction with Huawei, du’s smart home is powered by 10 Gbps networks. du plans to deploy 5G-A nationwide by 2027 and touts the network’s “green” energy potential.
- Omantel sees the benefits of 5G-A in connecting remote areas. It successfully tested 10 Gbps speeds using mmWave technology. The operator also deployed 5G RedCap devices at customer locations to provide reliable 150 Mbps internet connections. Omantel will continue to deploy 5G-A throughout the Middle East.
“Huawei looks forward to working hand-in-hand with the industry to build healthy 5G-A ecosystems, upgrade 5G-A standards, and share in the benefits of 5G-A development. Together, we will bring the intelligent world into reality faster,” stated David Wang, Executive Director of the Board and Chairman of the ICT Infrastructure Managing Board at Huawei, according to Telecoms.com.
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