Analysis of Change in Chinese Telecoms' 5G Deployment Plans Following China's Early 5G Commercialization

On June 6, 2019, China's MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) granted 5G licenses to China's three major telecom operators including China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, as well as China Broadcasting Network, allowing them to provide commercial 5G services. This move marks the commercialization of 5G six months ahead of schedule. The Chinese government's decision to grant 5G licenses ahead of schedule is to keep up with the US, Korea, Switzerland, and the UK which have launched commercial 5G services. By doing so, the Chinese government hopes to boost domestic demand to help Huawei overcome the US ban which has affected its business dramatically. This report provides an overview of 5G service licenses granted to three major Chinese telecom operators as well as China Broadcasting Network, looks at their 5G network coverage, and examines how their 5G network structure has shifted from SA (Standalone) 5G NR to NSA (Non-standalone) 5G architecture.

List of Topics

Background of China's MIIT granting 5G licenses to China's three major telecom operator: China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom
Outline of China's efforts from pre-commercialization to commercialization of 5G

1.Background

2. From Pre-commercialization to Commercialization, China Accelerates 5G Rollout

2.1 Issuance of 5G Licenses Prompts Telecoms to Increase and Speed up 5G Investment
2.2 Telecoms Take a Sharp Turn from SA to NSA
2.2.1 To Offer Huawei a Way Out of US Ban by Boosting Domestic Demand
2.2.2 Issuance of 5G Licenses to Drive China towards NSA Architecture

3. Perspective

Appendix
Glossary of Terms
List of Companies

List of Tables

Table 1 China Mobile’s Procurement of NSA 5G Equipment
Table 2 First-round Allocation of 5G Frequency Bands in China
Table 3 5G Network Coverage and Trial Cities of China’s Top 3 Telecoms
Table 4 Comparison between NSA 5G NR and SA 5G NR

List of Figures

Figure 1 Roadmap of China's 5G Trial Plan

Companies Mentioned

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:

China Broadcasting Network
China Mobile
China Telecom
China Unicom
Datang Telecom
Ericsson
Huawei
ITU
Nokia
ZTE

Methodology

Primary research with a holistic, cross-domain approach

The exhaustive primary research methods are central to the value that the analyst delivers. A combination of questionnaires and on-site visits to the major manufacturers provides a first view of the latest data and trends. Information is subsequently validated by interviews with the manufacturers' suppliers and customers, covering a holistic industry value chain. This process is backed up by a cross-domain team-based approach, creating an interlaced network across numerous interrelated components and system-level devices to ensure statistical integrity and provide in-depth insight.

Complementing primary research is a running database and secondary research of industry and market information. Dedicated research into the macro-environmental trends shaping the ICT industry also allows the analyst to forecast future development trends and generate foresight perspectives. With more than 20 years of experience and endeavors in research, the methods and methodologies include:

Method