en.Wedoany.com Reported - By 2026, China has built the world's most technologically advanced and largest comprehensive information and communication network, achieving "gigabit connectivity to every county and 5G to every township." According to data from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the total number of 5G base stations nationwide reached 4.958 million by the end of March 2026, capturing a major share of the global market. Approximately two out of every three mobile phone users in China are now using 5G networks.
China's 5G network coverage has driven the widespread adoption of mobile terminal applications. From text messages to audio and video communications, mobile phones achieve high-speed data transmission through 5G base stations, sending messages and greetings across geographical boundaries. The accelerated construction of 5G networks has propelled the development of application scenarios such as smart terminals, the Internet of Things, vehicle-to-everything communication, and telemedicine, becoming a crucial infrastructure for advancing the digital economy and smart city construction.
The construction of gigabit optical fiber networks has advanced in parallel with 5G. By the end of 2025, the total length of national fiber optic cable lines had reached 74.99 million kilometers, equivalent to nearly a hundred round trips between the Earth and the Moon. The expansion of optical networks not only supports high-speed home broadband, enterprise data centers, and cloud computing services but also provides a high-speed and reliable foundational network environment for high-definition video transmission, the industrial internet, and smart manufacturing.
The new generation of communication technology, 6G, is receiving significant attention. Following the "ten-year generation" development pattern of mobile communications, 6G is expected to achieve formal commercial use around 2030. According to plans by the China Institute of Communications and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, by 2035, 6G-related industries and applications could form a trillion-yuan scale market, encompassing ultra-high-speed transmission, holographic communication, integrated space-terrestrial networks, and intelligent IoT terminals.
The construction of 5G and gigabit optical networks has driven the upgrade of China's information and communication industry chain. Base station construction, optical cable manufacturing, core switching equipment, optical modules, and radio frequency component producers have all benefited from the large-scale network expansion demand. Simultaneously, the improvement of digital infrastructure promotes the deep application of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and big data in various fields such as industry, education, healthcare, and transportation, enabling industrial digitalization and intelligent transformation.
The enhanced coverage and capability of China's communication networks have also promoted balanced regional information development, allowing both remote counties and townships and high-density urban areas to access high-speed network services. On the policy front, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology continues to advance network construction planning, spectrum allocation, and standard setting, providing institutional safeguards for the stable development of 5G and future 6G.
Forward-looking research and technical trials for 6G have been initiated in several provinces, involving core technologies such as terahertz communication, ultra-massive MIMO, intelligent network slicing, and edge computing. Joint tests conducted by research institutes and enterprises indicate that 6G will possess data rates a thousand times greater than 5G and lower latency capabilities, providing network support for future smart terminals, unmanned systems, and virtual reality applications.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
