At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai 2023, Cao Ming, President of Huawei Wireless Solution, delivered a keynote speech titled “Embrace 5G New Opportunities, Encourage 5.5G New Motivation” during the 5G Development and Innovation Forum. In his speech, Mr. Cao noted that 5G has changed the way people live and work, and become an engine driving the digital economy and an enabler of operators’ business success. He added that the continuous upgrade of connected people, connected things, connected vehicles, connected industries, connected homes, and Harmonized Communication and Sensing (HCS) services is giving new motivation for evolution towards 5.5G, and that Huawei will work with the industry to make 5.5G a reality.
5G is a win for both operators and consumers that has taken the mobile industry to the next level and enhanced user consumption through new experiences and applications. 5G has also allowed FWA to thrive and develop into a mainstream service. Additionally, 5G has empowered over 50,000 industry use cases, driving growth across a wide range of industries. In the foreseeable future, 5G is projected to foster new applications, business forms, and models. The upgrading of connected people, connected things, connected vehicles, connected industries, connected homes, and HCS services will further accelerate the stride from 5G to 5.5G.
New Immersive and Interactive Services Boost Connected People Experiences
3D content, immersive experience, and cloud-based services are quickly gaining popularity among individual users, while display and AIGC technologies are making naked-eye 3D a reality. A complete portfolio of XR devices is available including entry-level to mid-range and high-end models, taking experiences and ecosystems to the next level. Cloud phone and New Calling are also prospering. Operators worldwide are testing the commercial capabilities of 10 Gbps in order to improve experience of new services.
All-Scenario Diversified IoT Improves the Scale and Quality of Connected Things
5.5G IoT will cover all scenarios from high-, medium-, and low-speed to passive IoT, comprehensively reducing the costs of connections. RedCap is already being commercially deployed on a large scale to enable industrial, vehicle-mounted, and wearable connectivity. Furthermore, the quickly maturing passive IoT will improve consumers’ lives in areas such as clothing and food, and enable the real visibility of production, warehousing, and logistics in fully connected factories.
Inclusion in Core Industrial Production Processes Improves Efficiency
With the development of smart and agile manufacturing technologies, 5G has become a necessity in the core production processes, supporting scenarios that require both real-time control and high reliability. The comprehensive improvement of 5G capabilities, such as low latency, high reliability, and high uplink, will expand the wireless connections seen in factories, reducing production line adjustment costs and improving production efficiency.
Ultra-Reliable Smart Transportation Improves Connected Vehicles Capabilities
Technologies like vehicle-cloud, vehicle-road, and vehicle-vehicle collaboration have enabled massive vehicle connectivity to traffic lights and sensors, greatly improving traffic efficiency and management capabilities while reducing the number of traffic accidents. 5G V2X verification has been done in 95% of traffic scenarios, reducing the accident rate by 25% and allowing traffic to move more than 20% faster.
Diversified Smart Home Services Drive Connected Homes Applications
A wide collection of home services are thriving, from simpler large-screen videos to more convenient smart home appliances, instant cloud gaming, and immersive large-screen 3D. In the Middle East and other regions, leading operators have started providing 10 Gbps home broadband to satisfy new demands and diversify entertainment activities.
HCS Is Bringing New Opportunities for Global Sensing
Backed by HCS technology, 5.5G will expand services from communication only to communication-sensing integration, thus supporting scenarios such as road blind spot detection, accident warnings, marine vessel detection, and unattended vessel operation to advance smart transportation and smart ocean. HCS has been widely verified in the fields typified by smart transportation, and is proven to cost less than conventional network construction.
Mr. Cao concluded his speech by describing how 5.5G will further drive the mobile industry and bring about more possibilities for smart life and digital economy. Huawei will work alongside the industry to promote the inclusion of the 5.5G industry chain within business scenarios and make 5.5G a reality.
