Huawei Showcases 5.5G Intelligent World at MWC Barcelona
Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona, the world’s largest gathering for the technology, communications and connectivity industries, always offers a glimpse into the future. This year, the spotlight was on 5.5G and how it can help to deliver a more intelligent world.
Central to that conversation was Huawei with its impressive takeover of Hall 1 designed to imagine what an intelligent digital world with intelligent ‘connectivity of everything’ would actually look like.
Huawei sees this digital infrastructure being deeply integrated into every aspect of our lives, industry, and society. That will require significant network capabilities.
Huawei showcased a range of 5.5G, F5.5G, and Net5.5G solutions at MWC and cemented its commitment to working with global operators and industry partners to embrace both the challenges and opportunities.
5G is flying, and being adopted far quicker than 4G – the growth rate being seven times higher in the same time period, according to Huawei. By the end of 2023, more than 300 5G commercial networks had been launched, serving more than 1.6 billion people.
5.5G is a step-change and Huawei is helping operators in more than 20 cities around the world with commercial testing. One hotspot is the GCC, with countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain all having completed 5.5G 10Gbps rate verification.
Operators in China, Finland, and Germany are also achieving similar impressive results with 5.5G.
“We're rapidly approaching an intelligent world,” said Li Peng, Huawei's Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service in a keynote delivered at MWC.
“As the demands on networks have increased, 5.5G has become a key step on the path to the intelligent world. 5.5G is expected to enter commercial use in 2024. So, let's build today's networks for tomorrow's applications to advance the intelligent world.”
Huawei unveils Telecom Foundation Model at MWC
Li explained that higher network requirements are needed for this intelligent world, such as uplink ultra-broadband, real-time broadband communication, and full-scenario IoT.
The opportunities are considerable. By 2030, the intelligent economy is predicted to be worth more than US$18.8 trillion.
As well as releasing a full series of 5.5G products and solutions, Huawei also unveiled the industry's first Telecom Foundation Model – designed to help carriers maximise the value of their networks.
Huawei’s Li closed his keynote by calling on the industry to embrace 5.5G and build a solid ICT foundation for a more prosperous intelligent world.
One company answering that call was Kuwait Telecommunications Company (stc). Huawei and stc signed an MoU on deepening 5.5G strategic cooperation and business monetisation at MWC. The two companies will work together to build 5.5G-based intelligent wireless networks, and create 5.5G-related services for consumers, homes, and businesses.
Zain KSA of Saudi Arabia signed a similar MoU with the goal of creating a full-fledged suite of smart solutions for individuals and businesses under a ‘All in 5.5G’ strategy.
“Our enhanced partnership with Huawei supports our overarching goal to design and deliver best-in-class solutions that will underpin our full-fledged suite of services and offerings to individuals and businesses in Saudi Arabia,” said Zain KSA’s Chief Technology Officer Abdulrahman Al-Mufadda.
