Here’s what you need to know about 5G on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link

With up to 100 times faster data speeds than 4G, 5G will support more connected devices used by commuters

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A high-speed train on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link stops at the South Railway Station in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:00am, 27 Aug 2019Updated: 5:30am, 27 Aug 2019

China’s commercial 5G network development plans are off to a fast start, as the next-generation mobile system will be deployed on the high-speed rail link connecting Guangzhou and Shenzhen to Hong Kong.

That infrastructure project was announced by China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless network operator by subscribers, at an event in Hong Kong last week as a joint initiative with its main telecommunications equipment supplier, Huawei Technologies.

The plan to provide ultra-fast 5G mobile service on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, a line that stretches 142 kilometres and serves seven stations, comes several months after China Mobile and Huawei said they will deploy 5G network coverage at Shanghai’s Hongqiao Railway Station by the end of this year. Hongqiao would become the world’s first railway station to allow passengers to experience mobile data speeds up to 100 times faster than what current 4G networks provide.

In separate telephone and WeChat inquiries, representatives from China Mobile and Huawei did not immediately provide details on the cost or timetable of 5G coverage for the high-speed rail link.

Efforts to quickly introduce commercial 5G services in China mark the country’s attempt to move ahead in the global race to roll out advanced telecoms networks that will help power the industrial internet, autonomous driving and smart cities.