Shanghai to have citywide 5G coverage by end of 2020

Shanghai will achieve citywide 5G coverage within this year and become a broadband city with both wired and wireless gigabit networks, Shanghai Ying Yong mayor said on Wednesday.

The city's key tasks for 2020 include accelerating its smart city development and improving the capacity of the new generation of information infrastructure, added Ying, who was speaking at the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, the city's legislative body.

"Shanghai will also improve the 'city brain' architecture and build a big data platform that encompasses the entire data life cycle," he said.

The city will also accelerate the wide application of information technologies, such as the internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain, to create more smart city scenarios while striving to strengthen cyber security.

Shanghai has set up nearly 12,000 5G network base stations as of mid-October, covering the downtown areas, the Hongqiao business district and the Lingang Special Area, the new addition to the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, according to the Shanghai Communications Administration.

The three major communications operators have also collaborated with scientific research institutions and enterprises, including Baosteel and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, to promote the pilot use of 5G plus industrial internet and 5G plus artificial intelligence, according to the administration.