The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has built a network that covers the main urban areas of prefecture-level cities by installing more than 10,000 5G base stations. The region plans to invest 1.7 billion yuan ($261.6 million) this year to accelerate the construction and development of its 5G infrastructure and facilities. By the end of this year, all of Xinjiang’s counties and major scenic spots are also expected to be covered by the network.
The regional capital Urumqi was one of the country’s first cities to adopt 5G technology. More than 4.08 million households across the region had 5G services, adding that favourable policies have helped promote the construction and application of 5G networks in Xinjiang.
– Xinjiang Official
The regional government released a set of regulations formulated to ensure that the network is protected under the law in the same way as water, electricity, gas, heat and other public utilities. Any attempt to hinder or jeopardise the construction and maintenance of 5G networks or to endanger its security is prohibited.
Xinjiang has piloted 5G technology in fields from mining and healthcare, to agriculture and the power industry. For instance, Xinjiang Medical University’s First Affiliated Hospital in Urumqi uses the technology to improve pre-hospital care, operate medical robots and perform remote ultrasound scans. 5G technology can transmit high-definition, real-time video calls between doctors and patients, which helps high-quality medical resources reach a larger group of people in need.
In addition, 5G-assisted unmanned vehicles, which can load and unload automatically as well as plan routes and avoid obstacles, are used to make mining safer and more efficient, and 5G network coverage is the foundation for intelligent mining sites.
Given complicated underground working conditions, the wide use of 5G-enabled unmanned vehicles will help prevent accidents and improve work efficiency, said Gao Jinlong, deputy director of a mine in Changji Hui autonomous prefecture, which has been using 5G-enabled unmanned trucks to transport coal.
Officials and experts stated the world is seeing a new upsurge in research and development activities in advanced 5G technologies. In China, 5G has become a key part of new infrastructure and is being increasingly used in transportation, logistics, energy, medical and other fields to advance digital transformation. Open cooperation in science and technology is a major trend, and China will accord importance to scientific and technological innovation from a global perspective
Information technology like 5G is a catalyst for the integration of real and virtual economies, and it can help match financial capital with the needs of production and promote industrial upgrades. 5G should inspire industry digitalisation, which should not be limited to the vision of individual companies in the industry but be based on the collaborative transformation of multiple partners in the industry, all working with a mindset of team competition.
With the large-scale commercial deployment of 5G networks, 5G applications have entered a period of iterative development. Although challenges like ecosystem construction and business models need to be addressed, the direction of innovation is becoming gradually clearer.
China has applied 5G technology in various areas, including deploying 5G applications in parks. As reported by OpenGov Asia, Nanshan District installed three smart solar panel benches which can store electricity through the absorption of solar energy in the daytime. The smart 5G bench is equipped with free WiFi access, phone-charging ports and wireless charging.
People can place the mobile phone on the bench and it will automatically charge the phone. They can also use the free WiFi to listen to music while exercising nearby. The benches have become parkgoers’ favourite for leisure and exercise at Sihai Park in Nanshan District, Shenzhen city.
