China has started the third phase of 5G technology research and development tests, ahead of schedule, as the country accelerates steps to gain a lead in the race toward commercializing the next-generation communication technology.
The move came as China Mobile Communications Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd showcased the world’s smallest 5G testing terminal on Friday, indicating that the country will pioneer the world in 5G research and development.
Current round to help country gain an edge in early tech adoption
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said the third phase of technical tests aims to get pre-commercial 5G products ready when the first version of 5G standards comes out in June next year.
The industry regulator has called for more efforts to upgrade testing environments and a bigger push to experiment with more 5G-enabled applications, with added focus on the integration of chips, systems and other instruments.
Previously, officials said the third phase tests would not start until next year. The country had concluded the second phase of tests earlier this year, with contributions from both domestic and foreign companies such as Huawei, ZTE and Ericsson.
On Friday, China Mobile and Huawei also showcased the world’s smallest 5G testing…
