China Mobile eyes 100b devices with 5G network

China Mobile Corp's chairman Xi Guohua described his vision of the next-generation telecom network on Wednesday, saying the company is aiming to build a super-fast 5G network that could bring 100 billion mobile devices on the network.

The 5G technology, which remains on papers, will have a connection speed similar to the fiber Internet, the fastest fixed-line connection as of today, said Xi.

Xi, who heads the world's largest carrier by subscriber number, did not disclose the possible launch date of 5G service. Analysts believe commercial use of 5G in China is years - if not a decade - away because the previous technology just kicked off in the country this year.

Local research of next-generation telecom technologies is most likely to get government support in the coming years however, meaning the development process could be greatly shortened.

Liu Lihua, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, told the Mobile Asia Expo on Wednesday that development of 5G technology will receive a "full government support" in the years ahead.

China Mobile launched its 4G networks in the country about half a year ago. Coverage of China Mobile 4G is mostly confined in city areas in developed coastal regions today. Xi pledged to add the amount of 4G stations to half a million by year end.

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