China Telecom Shanghai and Huawei have joined forces to launch the world's first 5G networks, with performance verification successfully completed at Tongji University. For China Telecom, which is the parent company of China Telecom Shanghai, and Huawei, this represents a big milestone that follows the joint release of the Super Uplink solution for 5G at the 2019 Mobile World Congress. Particularly, for China Telecom, the launch represents the first significant step towards the construction of leading commercial 5G networks supporting high uplink data speeds.

The rapid development of the interactive Internet continues unhindered. Online streaming, education, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, policing, and security among other critical services all require networks to provide higher uplink data speeds. China Telecom and Huawei aim to meet this challenge with the Super Uplink solution, which noticeably improves uplink capabilities and shortens latency via TDD/FDD spectral coordination, high/low band complementarity, and aggregation in time and frequency domains. Such a dramatic improvement will greatly empower vertical industry applications and reinforce China Telecom's leading position in the mobile telecom market.

In just two short months, China Telecom Shanghai has constructed Super Uplink networks featuring small-scale continuous coverage, and completed full end-to-end verification relating to service dimensioning, network planning, site selection, device upgrade, and other key technologies. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted on network functions and performance, demonstrating that the Super Uplink solution increases uplink speeds by 20%–100% under good radio conditions, while also delivering a fourfold increase to cell-edge uplink rates.

China Telecom Shanghai will expand pre-commercial trials of the networks and increase technological research and development, network construction, and industrial cooperation. China Telecom Shanghai has also decided to expand the application of Super Uplink at the second China International Import Expo, as it aims to secure a comprehensive adoption of this solution. China Telecom will continue to strengthen cooperation with various industries to promote 5G services and applications that fully utilize the advantages of low uplink latency.