China First Millimeter-Band Telecommunication License Issued
In March, China first E-band (millimeter-band) microwave telecommunication station license was issued.
According to Felicomm‘s understanding, a few days ago, the only E-band high-capacity microwave pilot transfer conference and the first E-band microwave radio license issuance ceremony were held in Xiong'an New Area. At the meeting, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Hebei Province organized the Baoding Radio Supervision and Law Enforcement Bureau to issue the country's first E-band microwave radio license to Xiongan Mobile.
This is another major breakthrough made by Xiong'an New Area after it was approved as the only E-band communication pilot in the country in August 2022, marking that the pilot work has entered the stage of large-scale construction and practical application.
The E-band is the millimeter wave band. At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology optimized and adjusted the frequency use plan of China's microwave communication system and added millimeter wave frequency bands (E-band, 71-76GHz/81-86GHz). According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the adjustment further meets the needs of high-capacity information transmission (microwave backhaul) scenarios such as 5G base stations, and reserves spectrum resources for China's 5G, industrial Internet and future 6G.
Millimeter wave has the advantages of low transmission cost, high available bandwidth, and large system capacity. At present, China's 5G network deployment uses sub-6GHz, that is, medium-band electromagnetic waves with frequencies below 6GHz.
In the early stage of 5G deployment, mid-band 5G has more advantages, which can promote the rapid increase of user scale and rapid application expansion, but with the passage of time, only the mid-band can no longer meet the application needs of the 5G industry, millimeter wave is the key technology to play the maximum performance of 5G, in order to achieve the best experience of 5G, the mode of combining intermediate frequency + millimeter wave + low frequency is the optimal solution.
Globally, the United States 5G takes the mm wave technology route, and FWA has become the main application of 5G in the United States. The UK has also begun to act on millimeter wave deployments, and according to Felicomm, British telecoms regulator Ofcom has confirmed that it will allocate millimeter wave spectrum in the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands for new mobile technologies, including 5G, and its millimeter wave spectrum will increase 5G speed and capacity in busy areas such as train stations and football stadiums.
In terms of domestic policy, 2023 is the end of China's "5G Application "Sailing" Action Plan (2021-2023). In the plan, relevant plans for millimeter wave are proposed, including: timely release of 5G millimeter wave frequency planning, explore the implementation of a bidding system for 5G millimeter wave frequency licenses, and accelerate the research and development and industrialization of lightweight 5G chip modules and millimeter wave devices. Among them, the 5G industry foundation strengthening action also proposes to organize the research and development and end-to-end testing of 5G millimeter wave base stations, accelerate the maturity of technology and products, and lay the industrial foundation for 5G millimeter wave commercialization.
In terms of the specific application of millimeter wave, China Unicom has disclosed the overall plan of millimeter wave in the 5G-A era. China Unicom's 5G mmWave Technology White Paper 3.0 discloses that China Unicom will promote the realization of mmWave network capabilities in "three stages": video rate policy in 2023, and conduct scenario-based deployment tests for mmWave networks; In 2024, R18 and other key competency tests will be verified; Deploy mmWave innovative applications in 2025.
China Mobile has completed the verification of 5G millimeter wave key technologies, in June 2023, the world's first 16 MW offshore wind turbine was erected about 35 kilometers offshore from Fuzhou Changle Songxia by the 2,000-ton "Baihetan" offshore wind power installation platform for hoisting, CCTV news major platforms on the 100-meter altitude operation live, in order to ensure the assembly operation and media live broadcast, China Mobile Fujian quickly deployed, formulated a 5G signal optimization plan in the sea area, to overcome the offshore wind and waves, transportation difficulties, On the basis of the 5G base station of the completed wind farm, the communication "bridge" between the "Baihetan" and the base station of the wind power booster station was erected through the self-developed over-the-horizon microwave transmission equipment, and a 5G portable base station was added to the "Baihetan" to comprehensively adjust and optimize the sea area network coverage of the wind power assembly operation, and Felicomm is the supplier of microwave wireless bridge for this time.
Felicomm believes that as microwave transmission enters the practical application stage, China is expected to become the world's largest millimeter wave market.