China's First Pre-6G Test Network Operational, Boasting 10x 5G Speeds
China launched its first Pre-6G test network in Nanjing, achieving speeds ten times faster than 5G. This marks a shift from key technology verification to system capability verification, aiming for commercial use by 2030.
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- 📰 Published: April 21, 2026 at 19:16
- 🔍 Collected: April 21, 2026 at 19:31 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 19:49 (17 min after Collected)
The Chinese government has listed 6G as one of the six major future industries this year, attempting to build 6G infrastructure ahead of schedule, with commercial use expected around 2030. According to reports, China's first Pre-6G test network was officially put into operation today in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, boasting speeds up to 10 times that of 5G.
CCTV reported that the test network integrates 6G innovative technologies into the 5G network, featuring high bandwidth, long-distance coverage, low latency, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration. Its capabilities can reach 10 times that of 5G.
The test network has already begun systematic verification in fields such as low-altitude drone inspections, industrial manufacturing, embodied intelligence, and holographic communication. This marks the entry of 6G technology into a new stage of system capability verification, laying a foundation for future standardization.
Coinciding with the launch, the '2026 Global 6G Technology and Industrial Ecosystem Conference' was held in Nanjing, gathering experts to discuss the path from the laboratory to industrial ecosystem. Nanjing's Purple Mountain Laboratories is the core source of 6G technology in China, having built the world's first Pre-6G test network.
Huang Yuhong, President of the China Mobile Research Institute, pointed out that 6G is expected to enter the commercial phase by 2030, becoming a new economic growth point. She stated that China began 6G R&D in 2018 and has accumulated over 300 key technologies. While 5G achieved 'Internet of Everything,' 6G aims for the 'Intelligent Connection of Everything.'
CCTV reported that the test network integrates 6G innovative technologies into the 5G network, featuring high bandwidth, long-distance coverage, low latency, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration. Its capabilities can reach 10 times that of 5G.
The test network has already begun systematic verification in fields such as low-altitude drone inspections, industrial manufacturing, embodied intelligence, and holographic communication. This marks the entry of 6G technology into a new stage of system capability verification, laying a foundation for future standardization.
Coinciding with the launch, the '2026 Global 6G Technology and Industrial Ecosystem Conference' was held in Nanjing, gathering experts to discuss the path from the laboratory to industrial ecosystem. Nanjing's Purple Mountain Laboratories is the core source of 6G technology in China, having built the world's first Pre-6G test network.
Huang Yuhong, President of the China Mobile Research Institute, pointed out that 6G is expected to enter the commercial phase by 2030, becoming a new economic growth point. She stated that China began 6G R&D in 2018 and has accumulated over 300 key technologies. While 5G achieved 'Internet of Everything,' 6G aims for the 'Intelligent Connection of Everything.'