What’s Next for 5G in China? Standards, Policies, and Real-World Impact

5G Milestones Since 2019

June 6, 2019 marked the launch of China’s 5G era, widely recognized as the commercial start year for 5G. One year later the ecosystem has expanded dramatically, prompting a review of progress and future outlook.

3GPP Standard Progress

The 3GPP organization, despite pandemic‑induced virtual meetings, continued to advance standards. The R16 release is slated for freeze in early July 2020, while R17 is already under parallel development, focusing on enhancements and new features.

Network Sharing and Deployment

China Mobile and China Broadcasting (China Guangdian) have agreed to jointly invest in a 700 MHz 5G network on a 1:1 basis, sharing assets and operational responsibilities. The partnership also includes shared use of 2.6 GHz spectrum and provision of 5G services to Guangdian’s customers.

Infrastructure and User Growth

More than 250,000 5G base stations have been built, with a target of over 600,000 by year‑end. Domestic 5G handset shipments reached 59.58 million units, projected to hit 180 million by year‑end. Over 70 million 5G subscriptions exist, surpassing the number of 5G‑capable devices.

Device Performance Insights

Testing shows the Huawei Kirin 990 chip leads in data throughput, while both Kirin 990 and MediaTek Dimensity 1000L excel in power efficiency. Samsung devices lag in call quality.

Policy Drivers

Key government policies accelerate 5G adoption: the “5G+ Industrial Internet” 512 plan (Nov 2019) sets KPIs for five public service platforms, vertical industry pilots, and at least 20 industrial use‑case templates; a March 2020 notice emphasizes SA over NSA, millimeter‑wave planning, and V2X integration; a May 2020 notice promotes NB‑IoT, LTE‑Cat1, and 5G as the three pillars for IoT.

Consumer Applications

High‑bandwidth, low‑latency services such as VR/AR, ultra‑HD video, and cloud gaming are highlighted as flagship 5G use cases. The “fat‑cloud, thin‑terminal” model—cloud gaming and cloud desktops powered by edge computing—illustrates how 5G enables rich experiences on lightweight devices.

Industrial Applications

Over 400 5G‑enabled industrial projects have been launched, covering manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare. More than 600 “5G+ Industrial Internet” projects are under construction, aiming to create at least 20 typical industrial scenarios.

Looking Ahead to 6G

China launched its national 6G research program in November 2019, focusing on terahertz communications, massive MIMO, integrated RF front‑ends, and compound semiconductor technologies. Early visions suggest 6G will interconnect the physical, digital, and biological worlds.