Just how fast are China’s 5G networks? ZTE conducts tests in Guangzhou to find out
- A field test by Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp in Guangzhou showed average download speeds 10 times of 4G networks
- Coverage is not as extensive as 4G yet, although more 5G base stations are planned
Download speeds for China’s 5G networks far outstrip those of 4G networks, a speed test by Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp showed on Thursday, two weeks after the latest generation of cellular network technology was commercially launched in the world's largest smartphone market.
ZTE conducted the 15-minute trial of the 5G network in a car driving along a 6km-long route in Pazhou, a subdistrict of Haizhu in China’s Guangzhou city.
The field test in Guangzhou – one of the pilot cities in the roll-out of the 5G network – showed download speeds reaching more than 1,300 megabits per second (Mbps), with an average of about 1,000 Mbps.
Download speeds fluctuated as the signal switched between nine base stations along the route, with the lowest speeds hitting about 800 Mbps.
The average 5G download speeds in the area, located relatively centrally in Guangzhou, are about 10 times faster than popular 4G networks, which support speeds of up to 100 Mbps, according to ZTE engineer Zeng Zhaojun.
