5G rollout in China set to accelerate

Local govts build 'new infrastructure' while FCC moves hurt US consumers

Local governments in China are doubling down on plans to accelerate 5G rollout this year. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in the United States where the federal government is likely to face a shortfall in funding for its plan to replace Chinese equipment in telecom networks, posing connectivity challenges to people in rural areas in the US, experts said.

More than 20 provincial and municipal governments in China have emphasized efforts to accelerate construction of "new infrastructure" like 5G and data centers in their work plans for this year.

Shanghai, for instance, said it plans to build more than 25,000 5G base stations this year to push forward the in-depth coverage of the superfast wireless network. The city also has ambitions to build super large computing power platforms to meet growing demand.