Innovative use of 5G in Shanghai

The 5G technology is reshaping urban life in Shanghai, as the city's first 5G video call was made, and 5G innovations are springing up.

With the 4K HD live streams of surgeries supported by the 5G network, the operating rooms in Huashan Hospital has now become learning bases for doctors nationwide.

The hospital, famous for its neurosurgery, now can broadcast the operations via 5G. Trainees across China can now watch and learn without being on site.

"Neurosurgery is often carried out in a narrow space in the human bodies, and even the surgeon's vision can be limited," said Mao Ying, deputy director of Huashan Hospital. "However, 5G live-streaming has offered an innovative solution to the remote education of medical techniques."

"Live-streaming surgeries is very practical for doctors in primary-level hospitals like us," said Huang Lide, a neurosurgeon at the People's Hospital of Baise in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Huang is studying neurosurgery at Huashan Hospital.

The Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital established a laboratory combing ultrasounds with the 5G network to support remote consultation. Real-time ultrasound images of local patients can be transmitted to Shanghai without delay for an expert consultation, whether the patients are from cities in northwest or southeast China.

The cutting-edge technology has also been put into use in the entertainment industry.

In April, live-streams and VR games using 5G showcased the 1,000th race of Formula One held in Shanghai, which allowed the audience to experience another kind of high speed.

The Shanghai government signed an agreement for deepening the 5G network construction and innovative applications with China Unicom late last month. By 2021, China Unicom will invest 15 billion yuan (US$2.2 billion) in the city to further promote the deployment and innovative applications of the 5G network.