China targets 2 million installed 5G base stations this year, expanding world’s biggest next-generation mobile network, as 6G preparations push ahead

The country currently has 1.425 million installed 5G base stations that support more than 500 million 5G users nationwide

While China’s 5G mobile network is already the world’s biggest, MIIT head Xiao Yaqing said the existing number of base stations ‘is not enough’

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China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom launched their commercial 5G services on the mainland in 2019. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:15pm, 9 Mar 2022

China will have 2 million installed 5G base stations this year to step up expansion of the country’s next-generation mobile network, while preparing for the development of the more advanced 6G wireless system, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The Chinese mainland currently has 1.425 million installed 5G base stations that support more than 500 million 5G users nationwide, which makes it “the biggest network [of its kind] in the world”, MIIT minister Xiao Yaqing said on Tuesday in a press briefing on the sidelines of the annual “two sessions”.

“Moving forward, we will step up our efforts in base stations. What we have now is not enough,” Xiao said in the live-streamed event, adding that the government will accelerate support for advanced 5G applications.

He indicated that China will strive to maintain its leadership in 5G, while planning and laying the foundation for research and development on 6G technology.