Southwest China's Sichuan has over 30,000 5G base stations

CHENGDU -- Southwest China's Sichuan Province had built 32,681 5G base stations by July, with a total investment of 11.32 billion yuan (about $1.65 billion), according to a report on 5G development in Sichuan released on Friday.

The report said Sichuan hosts more than 240 enterprises related to the 5G industry chain, including at least 146 5G operators and terminal application service enterprises, 44 5G primary equipment and network architecture service enterprises and 50 5G chip and component service providers.

Relevant institutions have published 1,966 5G patents, ranking sixth in China. Chengdu, Nanchong, Mianyang and other cities and prefectures have set up 12 5G industrial parks or innovation centers.

"We have focused our 5G research in infrastructure, policy support, industrial application, industrial ecology and innovation capability," said Zhou Liang, head of the experts panel of the provincial 5G industry alliance.

In the recent two years, Sichuan has accelerated the construction of 5G infrastructure, leading the country in network construction and application innovation, said Pi Yiming, deputy head of the Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Department.