The "Japan Economic News" website published an article titled "China's 5G is gaining momentum, and Europe and the United States are stuck due to the epidemic" on May 26. The article said that China is accelerating the popularization of the new generation of communication standard 5G, while the European and American countries have been affected by the new crown epidemic. The investment in the construction of communication networks and support for the launch of new models has slowed down significantly. The article is excerpted as follows:
China's current 5G mobile phone users have exceeded 50 million, and it is expected that 100 smart phones supporting 5G will be launched during the year, and China's 5G contracted users will account for 70% of the world's total. 5G services have been opened in more than 20 countries around the world, but the service targets are currently limited to certain regions, and affected by the new crown epidemic situation, these countries' investment in the construction of communication networks and support for the launch of new models has slowed significantly. China is steadily expanding its investment and is preparing to command the commanding heights in the 5G field.
*Profile picture: On October 31, 2019, China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom (4.930, 0.03, 0.61%) officially released their respective 5G packages. The picture shows consumers experiencing 5G cloud VR video in the business hall. (Photo by Xin Bo News Agency reporter Shen Bohan)
2020 was originally the first year that 5G was officially popularized globally. However, due to the spread of the new crown epidemic worldwide, the situation is gradually changing.
In the United Kingdom, where 5G service has been launched since May 2019, there were multiple 5G base station arson incidents in April this year because of the widespread spread of rumors about the new crown epidemic related to 5G.
In France, the epidemic caused various tasks to lag behind, and the spectrum allocation required for 5G services changed from the original April to an indefinite delay. Countries such as Spain and Austria have also experienced delays in spectrum allocation.
South Korea and the United States were the first to launch 5G services for smartphones globally in April 2019. However, the communication network in the United States is still under construction, and due to the expansion of the epidemic, it is impossible to ensure the manpower required for construction. South Korea’s 5G subscribers finally exceeded 5 million by February, but only one-tenth of China’s. The growth of new subscribers is slow.
Thailand launched its 5G commercial service for the first time in March, and three communication companies in Japan also launched the service in the same month. However, people in the industry said that these countries have postponed infrastructure construction due to epidemic conditions and other reasons. In contrast, the number of new infections in China's new coronavirus has decreased. To make 5G an economic booster, the country is actively promoting 5G construction. In the new policy issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China in March, it stated instructions for accelerating the expansion of the 5G communication area. China Mobile and other three state-owned communication operators have also expanded their investment in accordance with the government's intentions.
*On May 28, 2020, my country's first coal mine underground 5G network was completed in Shanxi. The picture shows on May 27, at the Xinyuan Coal Mine Dispatching Center of Shanxi Yangmei Coal Group, the reporter interviewed the underground miners through 5G network video. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liang Xiaofei)
China's 5G services now cover many large cities, and smartphones supported more than 70 models in March, ranking first in the world. In contrast, the US Apple is expected to launch 5G mobile phones in the fall of 2020, and there are even rumors that it will be postponed.
The prediction released by the Global Association for Mobile Communications Systems in mid-March shows that China's 5G subscribers will account for about 70% of the world's total within the year. Europe, America and Asia will catch up in 2021, but Chinese users will exceed 800 million by 2025, still accounting for nearly 50% of the world.
The continued popularity of 5G in China means that not only smartphones, but also some new services will also lead the world in progress. For example, in the application of autonomous driving technology, 5G infrastructure construction is indispensable. China and the United States are now competing for the dominance of autonomous driving technology, and the popularity of 5G will also have an impact on the battle.
Many countries in the world are still maintaining epidemic prevention measures such as the closure of the city due to the epidemic situation, so the supply and improvement of 5G services have been delayed. It is possible for China to seize this opportunity, increase investment, launch an offensive, and master the technological dominance in the "post-new crown" world to further exert its advantages.
Post time: Jun-19-2020