China Unicom Beijing and Huawei have officially unveiled the world’s first large-scale integrated 5G-Advanced intelligent network in a groundbreaking event held at Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium. The initiative, dubbed “5G Capital on the Way – Lighting Up Beijing with 5G-Advanced,” highlights the two companies’ commitment to setting new industry standards for the future of 5G technology.
The newly deployed 5G-Advanced network is a significant milestone, featuring both high- and low-band integrated networking. One of the most notable implementations of the technology is at the Workers’ Stadium, where the stadium’s vast infrastructure supports a smart commercial complex with a world-leading 5G-Advanced network. The area’s commercial zone is now fully equipped to handle immersive video services, ultra-high-definition (UHD) live streaming, and cloud gaming, providing Beijing’s residents and visitors with faster, more reliable mobile services.
The event also marked a milestone for the Great Wall scenic area in Yanqing District, where a large-scale deployment of 10-gigabit 5G-Advanced base stations offers connectivity not just on the ground, but also in low-altitude airspace. This development supports emerging low-altitude economy sectors, such as tourism, logistics, emergency response, and scenic area preservation, all while ensuring that the network delivers uninterrupted and reliable service.
The 5G-Advanced network now covers over 10 million people across Beijing, offering robust 5G coverage within the city’s Fourth Ring Road and the Municipal Administrative Center. In addition to this, China Unicom Beijing has enhanced the city’s infrastructure by modernising old phone booths, transforming them into smart terminals connected to the 5G-Advanced network. These upgrades enable users to access services like navigation, ride-hailing, and emergency calls with ease.
As a key feature of the new network, China Unicom Beijing has also introduced its innovative 3CC (three component carrier) network, which supports both the high- and low-band frequencies required for optimal 5G performance. At the Workers’ Stadium, this network has proven to deliver exceptional speeds, with field tests reporting a peak downlink rate of 11.2 Gbps and an uplink rate of 4 Gbps. This allows up to 68,000 people to watch 1080p video streams simultaneously, without any lag or buffering.
Speaking at the launch event, Yang Lifan, Deputy General Manager of China Unicom Beijing, highlighted the significance of the ultra-high bandwidth in improving the user experience. He stated, “Only by providing 10-gigabit network capabilities can we guarantee a gigabit experience for all users. This large-scale 5G-Advanced network will bring better service to users across Beijing, with even greater improvements ahead.”
The project also features end-to-end automation and AI-driven optimisations that enable rapid site provisioning and seamless operation management. China Unicom Beijing is the first carrier globally to implement self-provisioning and self-optimising networks for 5G-Advanced in lightweight scenarios. This automation drastically reduces manual intervention and increases the security and efficiency of the network.
Li Jie, President of Huawei’s 5G & LTE TDD Domain, expressed his pride in the collaboration, stating, “Huawei’s 5G-AA solutions have been instrumental in maintaining China Unicom Beijing’s leadership in 5G-Advanced network construction, and we are committed to supporting further innovation to drive the development of the AI-powered mobile network.”
With the deployment of this large-scale 5G-Advanced intelligent network, Beijing is now poised to become a global leader in next-generation telecommunications, marking a new chapter in China’s 5G capabilities.
