5G-A Technology Steals the Spotlight at MWC 2024 in Barcelona
On February 26th, according to reports from 快科技 (Tech Fast), the 2024 World Mobile Communications Conference (MWC) kicked off in Barcelona, Spain. Among the many attendees, the focus was on 5G-A (5.5G), with China Mobile and Huawei unveiling their commercial schedules for 5G-A.
During the event, Huawei’s Senior Vice President, Li Peng, emphasized that 2024 marks the start of commercialization for 5G-A. He highlighted the immense potential for business growth for operators with the development of cloud and AI technologies.
Li Peng stated, “Huawei is willing to work together with operators to fully unleash the potential of 5G and 5G-A networks, stimulating new growth opportunities.”
Li Qiang, the General Manager of the Planning Department at China Mobile, mentioned that China Mobile plans to establish a commercial model for 5G-A starting this year. They aim to enhance 5G-A infrastructure, promote 5G-A application scenarios, strengthen the 5G-A industrial ecosystem, and strive to achieve full commercialization of 5G-A by the end of 2026.
Known as 5G-Advanced, 5G-A sits between 5G and 6G, serving as an enhanced version of 5G technology during the transition period. The industry has high expectations for 5G-A in the journey from 5G to 6G.
Compared to 5G, 5G-A boasts speeds that are ten times faster, capable of supporting multi-gigabit experiences and billions of connections. Its downlink peak has increased from 1Gbps to 10Gbps, while the uplink peak has risen from 0.1Gbps to 1Gbps.
Reports indicate that over 300 Chinese companies, including Huawei, ZTE, China Information Technology, MediaTek, will exhibit products related to 5G-A at MWC 2024.
