China Unicom, Tencent to set up esports lab

Telecom carrier banking on alliance with gaming giant to reach more users

China Unicom, the nation's major telecom carrier, has inked a deal with Tencent Holdings Ltd to build a 5G-enabled esports laboratory as part of its broader efforts to leverage the fifth-generation wireless technology to serve gaming enthusiasts.

Under the agreement, the two sides will give full play to the advantages of their technologies, talents and influence to jointly study the innovative application of 5G technology in esports and promote the development of gaming. The esports laboratory will be located in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.