5G to reach on Guangzhou-Shenzhen-HK express rail

The mainland section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway is expected to be covered by 5G signals before the Spring Festival in 2020, announced China Mobile's Guangdong branch on Sept 3.

Working with China Railway Guangzhou Group Co Ltd and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, China Mobile's Guangdong branch will invest 150 million yuan ($20.91 million) in setting up more than 300 5G signal towers alongside the railway line and the peak download rate will exceed over 1Gbps.

The 5G network allows 5G users to have smooth communication experiences when the train is moving at a high speed, while 4G users can receive a WiFi signal converted from the 5G network at a network rate of over 100Mbps.

Passengers can also experience virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 8K video in specific areas, such as the waiting lounge and the VIP lounge.

On average, a total of 191 pairs of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway trains run every day and transports 229,000 passengers, one of the busiest high-speed train routes in China.

"The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway will be the first high-speed railway line in the world to be fully covered by 5G signals, and its launch will further boost the communication in talents, economy, and culture in the Greater Bay Area," said Wei Ming, general manager of China Mobile's Guangdong branch.

Wei added that China Mobile's Guangdong branch will carry out more cooperation with China Railway Guangzhou Group Co Ltd in the future to cover more railway lines in Guangdong province with 5G signals.