The Impact of China Unicom & Huawei’s 5G-Advanced Network

The demand for faster, more reliable connectivity is increasing worldwide, causing the technology industry to innovate further with wireless connectivity.

China Unicom has long been at the head of this network innovation race, with over 320 million mobile subscribers and a vast fiber-optic network spanning the nation.

Meanwhile, Huawei has emerged as a global leader in 5G technology, investing heavily in research and development to maintain its competitive edge in network infrastructure.

In a recent announcement, together, these companies have launched what they claim to be the world’s first large-scale integrated 5G-Advanced intelligent network to improve worldwide connectivity.

The emergence of 5G-Advanced, also known as 5.5G, advances standard 5G technology.

While 5G laid the groundwork for high-speed mobile communications, 5G-Advanced promises to deliver ten-fold improvements in network capabilities, with peak speeds reaching up to 10 gigabits per second.

This leap in performance is about faster download speeds as well as enabling a new generation of applications and services that were previously impossible, from immersive extended reality experiences to autonomous vehicle networks and smart city infrastructure.

5.5G’s network architecture and real-world applications

Beijing's selection as the launching ground for this network is no coincidence.

With its global technology hub, dense urban environment, diverse user base and mixture of historical and modern infrastructure, the city presents unique challenges and opportunities for network deployment.

Beijing's status as a political and economic centre also makes it a natural showcase for China's technological capabilities on the world stage.

However, what sets this particular implementation apart is its comprehensive approach to network architecture and its focus on real-world applications.

China Unicom and Huawei have carefully considered the practical implications and use cases that will drive adoption and create value for end users.

From enabling seamless connectivity for tens of thousands of concurrent users at the Workers' Stadium to providing integrated air-ground coverage at the

Great Wall scenic area, the network has been designed to address specific challenges while showcasing the transformative potential of 5G-Advanced technology.

The aims of 5.5G’s network

This network aims to enhance user experiences across Beijing by offering unprecedented speed and coverage.

The initiative was unveiled at an event titled "5G Capital on the Way – Lighting Up Beijing with 5G-Advanced".

This project features a smart commercial complex at the Workers' Stadium and a 10-gigabit air-ground integrated network at the Great Wall scenic area.

Yang Lifan, Deputy General Manager of China Unicom Beijing, emphasises the importance of large bandwidth in improving user experiences: "Only by providing 10-gigabit network capabilities can we guarantee a gigabit experience for all users.

“This time, we've built a large-scale integrated 5G-Advanced intelligent network to bring a better experience to all China Unicom users across Beijing.”

These developments highlight the potential for 5G-Advanced to transform urban environments by supporting high-demand applications such as ultra-high-definition (UHD) video streaming and cloud gaming.

According to Huawei, this large-scale commercial three component carrier (3CC) network covers over 10 million people in Beijing.

The deployment aims to ensure comprehensive 5G coverage and extends 85% 5G-Advanced coverage within Beijing's 4th Ring Road and the Municipal Administrative Center.

5.5G’s transformative applications and economic impact

The Workers' Stadium in Beijing serves as a showcase for this technology.

Here, China Unicom Beijing, Sinobo, GTVerse and Huawei have implemented a high- and low-band integrated 5G-Advanced network.

This setup supports the widest frequency range globally, achieving downlink peak rates of 11.2 Gbps.

This capacity allows up to 68,000 spectators to stream 1080p videos simultaneously without interruption.

This deployment also facilitates innovative uses in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), Internet of Things (IoT) and extended reality (XR) applications.

Such advancements demonstrate the potential for 5G-Advanced to empower various industries by enabling new services and improving operational efficiency.

At the Great Wall scenic area, China Unicom Beijing and the Yanqing District Government have deployed base stations providing continuous coverage both on the ground and in low-altitude airspace.

This initiative supports tourism, logistics, emergency services and scenic area management while fostering low-altitude economic development.

Automation and intelligent optimisation

China Unicom Beijing has gone further by incorporating AI-driven automation into its operations to optimise the 5G-Advanced network.

This has streamlined site provisioning processes, reducing setup times from days to minutes through end-to-end automation.

The approach minimises manual intervention, thereby reducing cybersecurity risks and AI-powered optimisations ensure secure, reliable services by enabling automatic adjustments based on user data. 

These capabilities spark potential for a more intelligent digital ecosystem that leverages cloud-edge collaboration for enhanced performance.

Li Jie, President of Huawei's 5G&LTE TDD Domain says: "As the 5G Capital project enters its fifth year, I am honoured that Huawei's new 5G-AA solutions have helped China Unicom Beijing maintain its global leadership in 5G-Advanced network construction, demonstrated by the large-scale 5G-Advanced network benchmark launched early this year and today's launch of the world's first large-scale integrated 5G-Advanced intelligent network.”

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