Workers from China Telecom install mini 5G base stations at a telephone booth in Shanghai on Friday. The company is expected to install similar 5G equipment in more than 100 telephone booths by the end of the year. China is investing billions of yuan in the field. Photo: AFP

China has made new advances in 5G networks rollout, as one of the country's major telecommunications companies announced that 5G Standalone (SA) has been officially commercialized on a large scale, which is leading the world.

Analysts said the 5G SA, which ends its dependence on 4G compared with the 5G non-standalone, is faster, and is expected to better facilitate the advantages of 5G. It could also promote the application of 5G in more industrial scenarios.

According to a statement that China Telecom sent to the Global Times, which announced the commercialization of 5G SA, the company released its 5G SA customized network on Saturday. The network offers a high-end customer experience of full-process and full-element customization by integrating digital capabilities such as connectivity, computing and artificial intelligence.

The 5G SA customized network has already been used by the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau, and Chinese home appliance manufacturer Midea Group.

China Telecom has opened more than 320,000 5G sites, covering more than 300 cities in the country.

"The country's other major operator, China Mobile, will also announce 5G SA commercialization soon," Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Beijing-based Information Consumption Alliance, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Xiang noted that with about 700,000 5G base stations across the country, China now is now the country with largest 5G scale. Xiang said that the country may need a total of 7 million base stations to achieve full 5G coverage. 

South Korea and the US are the two countries that first announced 5G system commercialization, although the coronavirus has slowed project progress , analysts said, but China is now moving faster than expected. 

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed that China had opened 690,000 5G base stations as of October 23, connecting more than 160 million users.

"With China's promotion of new infrastructure, 5G construction will be further accelerated and industries such as virtual reality and telemedicine may embrace a golden era soon," Ma Jihua, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times on Sunday.