CHINA is stepping up its efforts to commercialize fifth-generation mobile communication technology, with 5G-ready smartphones likely to debut in late 2019, experts said.

The comments came as the country aims to get pre-commercial 5G telecom equipment ready by the end of this year, to lay a foundation for large-scale testing of 5G applications and services in 2019.

“Given that the first version of 5G standards will come out in June this year, we expect system equipment, including base stations and network gears, will be able to achieve the pre-commercial level by the end of 2018,” said Wang Zhiqin, an expert with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

“But it will take a longer time to develop 5G-ready chips, and 5G smartphones will only be possible after June 2019,” he said on the sidelines of a conference Tuesday. Wang is deputy head of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, a think tank affiliated with MIIT.

China is striving to accelerate the research and development of 5G, as the super-fast technology is forecast to drive 6.3 trillion yuan (US$979 billion) of economic output in the country by 2030.

MIIT unveiled the technical requirements for third phase 5G tests Tuesday and encouraged companies to conduct more research into the integration of chips, systems and other instruments. (China Daily)