At MWC Shanghai 2024, the GSM Association held an industry roundtable on 5.5G or 5G Advanced technology with the participation of regulators, operators, equipment manufacturers, research institutes and global vertical business leaders.

Throughout the discussion, participants shared their network architecture and achievements in moving from 5G to 5.5G, as well as their experiences in bringing 5.5G into business models.

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Delegates press the button to launch the Global Pioneer Program on 5G-A technology.

At the roundtable, major operators such as China Unicom, China Mobile and the UAE also shared their experiences in developing and operating 5G and 5.5G. Accordingly, high-speed 5G networks are the foundation for deploying 5.5G networks, so enhancing 5G networks in residential areas, high-speed railways, urban and rural areas can support the multi-function setup of 5.5G networks. In addition, end-to-end intelligent operation processes enable operators to gain comprehensive and in-depth information about network failures, self-correct faults, maximize network efficiency and improve user experience.

Sharing at the industry roundtable on 5G Advanced, Mr. David Li - President of Huawei's 5G

According to the GSM Association, 5G penetration is the fastest of any network generation to date. Currently, about 20% of the world's mobile subscriptions are 5G subscriptions. This is due to the proliferation of devices, wide coverage, speed, competitive prices and better macro factors.

Representatives of the GSM Association and research firm Omdia pointed out that this is the right time to deploy 5.5G. The network speed of 5Gbps can be achieved by large-scale 5.5G triple-carrier aggregation (3CC), bringing vivid experiences to games, sports events, entertainment, and videos. In addition, the 5.5G industry chain is also developing steadily, with U6G, mmWave, and other new spectrum technology resources being tested and evaluated by carriers.

Globally, there are more than 30 types of 5.5G-enabled terminals and more than 60 carriers have commercially launched 5.5G. To seize all the opportunities that AI brings, the entire industry needs to strengthen cooperation, build efficient networks and applications.

(According to RCR Wireless)