Huawei to release new Honor phones on 5g network in November

Beijing, 2019-10-23

A group of top smartphone makers in China are in a race to launch new devices that are able to run on 5G network. This comes as some telecom giants announced massive plans for 5G deployment during the World Internet conference which just wrapped up in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province.

Smartphone vendor Huawei Honor has announced to release new models running on 5G network in the coming months. Honor’s president Zhao Ming says the roll-out of 5G network offers an estimated 10 trillion US dollars worth of business opportunities for tech companies. He adds better connectivity allows companies to develop new devices that are more than just phones.

“With the arrival of 5G comes better connectivity which allows us to make good use of cloud computing and develop more terminal devices that are able to be applied in a wider range of areas. And with the distributed operating system, various devices such as camera and display screens become peripherals of cellphones. In the upcoming 5G era we will develop a wide range of terminal products and devices that are based on our core competitiveness including Kirin chips and the Harmony operating system.”

Honor’s announcement follows that of its major domestic rival Xiaomi, which recently revealed plans to launch more 5G phones. China now has 850 million Internet users. According to China Plus online Major smartphone vendors are speeding up the rollout of 5G devices in a battle for a bigger share in the lucrative market.

The battle has become fiercer than ever as China’s big carriers including China Mobile and smaller rivals China telecom and Unicom are stepping up 5G deployment to capitalize on the emerging market. Yang Jie is the chairman of China Mobile, the largest Chinese wireless carrier.

He says together with AI, Cloud computing and Internet of things, 5G will bring unprecedented changes in today’s society. Yang announced an ambitious plan to tap into new business opportunities in a smart society. “By the end of next year, we will offer commercial services on 5G networks in over 300 cities across the country. We’ll enhance our capabilities in developing key technologies in the field of AI, big data and cloud computing and better apply those techniques with the integration of 5G, which will help offer smart infrastructure for the public and offer an immersive experience for our customers to meet their demand for entertainment and communications.”

In June, China granted 5G licenses to the country’s three major telecom operators, giving the go-ahead for full commercial deployment of the next-generation cellular network technology. The move is part of China’s strategy in getting ahead in the 5G industry, and nurturing new growth drivers for its economy. Chen Zhaoxiong is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

“President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of accelerating the commercial use of 5G. We have taken a series of measures to speed up the deployment of 5G. We have organized 5G technology experiments and helped the 5G industrial chain to grow. The performance of 5G chips and cell towers have been improved tremendously. Over a dozen of cellphone models have passed the test to access the network.”

The vice minister says 86 thousand base stations across the country have been built. Vast areas in big cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are now covered by 5G network. By the end of this year, China is expected to have over 130 thousand base stations across the country.

Deputy secretary-general of International Telecommunication Union, Malcolm Johnson says many new players from various sectors have begun to tap into the market. “For example, the ITU membership was traditionally a membership of telecom operators and vendors, and more recently internet providers. Now we’re having many different companies joining our work whether it’s from the housing sector, transportation, car manufacturers.”

Johnson adds that the massive rollout of 5G brings along many interesting innovations in the tech sector and consumers will benefit from lowered internet costs, especially those living in rural areas.