Huawei says it has deployed an “ultra large-scale 5.5G network” (there is no definition, 3GPP approved specs, or ITU-R recommendations/standards for 5.5G) operated by China Unicom in Beijing. The network uses three component carrier (3CC) aggregation to provide 70 percent coverage within Beijing’s 4th urban ring road. Huawei says China Unicom will offer comprehensive 5.5G service (again undefined) across stadiums, metro stations and tunnels, residential areas, scenic spots, business districts, and universities in key areas within the city’s 4th Ring Road and Beijing Municipal Administrative Center.

Editor’s Note: At the 5G Advanced Forum during MWC Shanghai 2023, Huawei’s President of ICT Products & Solutions, Yang Chaobin said, “In 2024, Huawei will launch a complete set of commercial 5.5G network equipment to be prepared for the commercial deployment of 5.5G.”  Many believe that 5.5G is another name for 3GPP defined 5G Advanced, which is expected to bring new wireless technology innovations that improve speed, coverage, mobility, power efficiency, and sustainability.  3GPP Release 18 in 2024 is the beginning of 5G Advanced.  The second and  major release of 5G Advanced, Release 19, will be completed by the end of 2025. This release will focus on enhanced performance and the 5G system’s ability to meet commercial deployment needs.

In the Beijing Action Plan for Promoting 5G-A Technology Evolution and Application Innovation (2024-2026), Beijing Municipal Communications Administration hammered home the importance of Beijing’s role in pioneering 5.5G development. China Unicom Beijing is striving to do its part, with a large-scale 5.5G network demonstration at the beginning of 2024 followed by the ultra-large-scale commercial 5.5G network deployment of recent months, in helping Beijing become a “dual 10 Gbps” city that sets the bar for network construction, device development, and industry enablement. With the first version of 5.5G standards frozen in June 2024 and more than 20 commercial 5.5G devices now on the market, a mature 5.5G industry ecosystem is taking shape.

“Full 5.5G coverage” in Beijing’s core urban areas and the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center. Photo: Huawei

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In August 2022, China Unicom Beijing and Huawei commercialized the world’s largest 3.5 GHz 2CC network, which has brought 200 MHz 2CC coverage to more than 85% of Beijing’s urban area while providing comprehensive coverage for Beijing’s core areas and the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center. In 2023, this was further augmented when China Unicom Beijing and Huawei completed a 2.1 GHz band deployment targeting key urban scenarios. These deployments substantially improved the network experience of users in Beijing while laying a solid foundation for the future evolution to 5.5G, and this year’s 5.5G 3CC deployment paves the way for larger-scale 5.5G deployments in the coming years.

The ultra-large commercial 5.5G 3CC network consists of more than 4,000 base stations and covers well-known landmarks in Beijing, such as Wukesong, Capital Indoor Stadium, Workers’ Stadium, Beijing Railway Station, Guijie Street, Panjiayuan, and Beijing University of Technology. Featuring 5.5G capabilities, the network provides powerful support for services such as immersive video, UHD live streaming, and cloud gaming. In addition to consumer scenarios, China Unicom Beijing is proactively pursuing innovations in UHD shallow compression encoding, IoT, and XR split rendering, unlocking the full potential of 5.5G networks to enable various industries.

Yang Lifan, Deputy General Manager of China Unicom Beijing, remarked: “We have the world’s largest 200 MHz 5G network and it makes our 3CC carrier aggregation much easier. 5.5G 3CC coverage will be extended to match that of our current 200 MHz 5G network. With Huawei’s advanced technologies and our smart operations, we will provide users with a much better network experience.”

David Li, President of Huawei Wireless Network 5G<E TDD Product Line, said: “We are honored to mark a groundbreaking milestone in 5.5G network construction with China Unicom Beijing — large-scale commercial 5.5G. We will continue to innovate and provide more efficient, smarter, and greener network solutions, enabling users to enjoy a superior, smooth experience with 5.5G networks.”