China is establishing itself as a global leader in the commercialization of 5G-advanced (5G-A) technology, which is a critical step toward transitioning from 5G to 6G capabilities. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reports that this advanced network has already been deployed in over 300 cities across the nation.

This swift progress underscores China's first-mover advantage in shaping the future of next-generation networks, which experts believe is essential for the country’s industrial upgrades.

He Biao, the general manager of China Mobile, announced that the company intends to test 6G technologies on its existing 5G-A infrastructure while facilitating the integrated research and development of both technologies.

5G-A is recognized as a significant enhancement of its predecessor, 5G, promising tenfold increases in peak data rates and connection density. This technology is poised to support the connection of 100 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices, as outlined by China Mobile.

An important feature of 5G-A base stations is their ability to integrate both sensing and communication functionalities. They are designed to manage voice and data transmission while also acting as distributed radar systems, allowing for real-time detection of airborne objects within their coverage areas.

China Mobile is currently testing a system that aims to support emerging low-altitude economies, such as drone delivery services in regions like Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

According to ministry data, over 30 provincial-level regions in China have initiated 5G-A service packages, leading to a subscriber base that now exceeds 10 million.

Telecommunications operators in China, the Middle East, and additional regions are also launching initiatives to explore the integration of 5G-A with artificial intelligence applications.

Huawei Technologies Co. comments that the merging of 5G-A and AI technologies is catalyzing a transformation within various sectors, particularly in industrial applications.

The ultra-low latency and high bandwidth of 5G-A are enabling enhanced perception and decision-making for robotic systems, allowing them to process real-time data and execute closed-loop 'sense-decide-act' operations that enhance safety and operational efficacy.

While challenges remain, particularly with the current uplink bandwidth capabilities lagging behind downlink performances, there is significant momentum in 5G development globally. Experts like Vivek Badrinath from GSMA believe this trend will continue, with increased collaboration between Chinese telecom carriers and international partners to optimize system efficiencies in various sectors.