WITH the large-scale deployment of 5G networks worldwide, 5G technology will be applied to more industries and fields, and will truly lead to commercial success, according to Yang Chaobin, president of Huawei’s 5G product line.

Yang expounded on some facts of 5G development at the 10th Global Mobile Broadband Forum, which was hosted by Huawei and industry partners GSMA and GTI in Zurich, Switzerland, on Oct. 15 and 16.

The company has been maintaining steady growth in 5G, with more than 60 commercial contracts and shipment of over 400,000 base station modules, Yang told a panel during the forum.

Europe has become its key 5G market outside China, where the company has secured 32 5G contracts, the senior executive said.

“We thank European clients for their long-term trust and support. Regardless of external conditions, Huawei’s 5G products will continue to help operators deploy networks faster and better with more innovative 5G technology and solutions,” said Yang.

He added that in the 5G era, Huawei is committed to delivering 10 times the speed, 30 times the capacity and one-tenth the latency of the 4G era.

Citing Huawei’s cooperation with Sunrise, one of Switzerland’s major telecommunications providers, Yang revealed that Huawei has helped Sunrise build a 5G network that already covers 300 towns in the country and has a capacity 20 to 30 times larger than that of the 4G networks.

“We found through network verification of multiple operators that 5G can increase cell capacity 20 to 30 times that of 4G. Thus, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) will be the most ideal way to rapidly deploy wireless home networks and quickly recover investment in areas where optical fiber cannot be accessed and copper wire cannot be upgraded,” Yang said.

According to Yang, 5G technology enables the speed of mobile broadband to be comparable to that of optical fiber and is an ideal choice for broadband access in suburban families.

The key features of 5G, namely, high speed, large capacity and low latency, have also broadened its applications to many fields, including Internet of Vehicles, intelligent factory, high-definition live broadcast, intelligent medical services and intelligent port.

But the 5G applications that we see are just the tip of the iceberg, according to Yang. “In the global scope, operators have been actively exploring various industries. The applications enabled by 5G technology are emerging in an endless stream,” said Yang.

During the forum, Yang emphasized that security concerns over the 5G networks are, in essence, a technical issue and a common challenge for the whole industry, which can be solved through joint efforts by Huawei and its partners.

“Huawei is willing to work with organizations, governments and industry partners around the world to explore ways to protect the safety of businesses and users through technical means,” Yang said.  

(Zhang Yu)