Crucial upgrade

As the commercial application of 6G is still years away, Chinese telecom companies are also working hard to develop the 5G-Advanced, or 5G-A technology, which is a crucial upgrade to the 5G network in functionality and coverage and paves the way for key 6G technologies. For instance, 5G-A features 10-gigabit peak downlink speeds to meet increasingly diverse service requirements.

Wang Tao, executive director of Huawei Technologies Co, said over 60 telecom operators and partners globally have announced the arrival of 5G-A this commercial year. Over 30 devices supporting 5G-A are set to launch this year, marking a significant milestone in the digital era.

Wang said that 5G-A is a path for the industry that protects existing investments, while creating new business opportunities. He called for continuous enhancement of 5G-A technology to sustain the health and vitality of the 5G industry and to realize the vision of 5G transforming society.

As 5G-A accelerates its commercial deployment, AI brings new opportunities for the telecommunications industry. Wang said that"2024 marks the convergence of the 5G-A commercial year and the AI-to-device year, heralding the mobile AI era where intelligent services become ubiquitous".