During the period from January 1st to 7th, 2026, the following international news occurred:
1. China Broadcasting Network Successfully Conducts Key Technology Verification for 5G-A Low-Altitude Communication Private Network
China Broadcasting Network recently successfully completed an outdoor field verification of key technologies for its 5G-A low-altitude communication private network in Shanghai. The test, based on its 4.9GHz frequency band and using independent carrier air-to-ground networking, addressed challenges such as fragmented low-altitude coverage, frequent handovers, and interference. It achieved uninterrupted drone connectivity to the private network throughout the flight, with uplink speeds exceeding 200 Mbps and edge speeds surpassing 25 Mbps, laying a solid technical foundation for serving the development of the national low-altitude economy.
2. Shanghai Telecom Industry Invests 13.1 Billion Yuan in 5G in First 11 Months, Total 5G Base Stations Reach 116,000
In the first 11 months of 2025, Shanghai's telecom business revenue reached 65.42 billion yuan, with 5G investment amounting to 1.31 billion yuan. By the end of November, the city's total number of 5G base stations reached 116,000, accounting for 44.1% of all mobile base stations, with both density and proportion ranking first nationwide. The number of 5G mobile phone users reached 26.132 million, with a penetration rate of 105.5 devices per 100 people, ranking second nationally. Revenue from emerging services increased by 6.1% year-on-year.
3. GCC 5G-A 10Giga Commercial Launch: Gulf Region Pioneers Entry into 10 Gigabit Digital New Era
At the Telecom Review Leaders' Summit held in Dubai, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region announced the official commercial launch of 5G-A 10Giga (10 Gigabit) connectivity. Leveraging forward-looking spectrum policies (such as releasing the U6G band), technological innovations (like ELAA technology), and strong market demand for services like FWA, the region is transitioning from a connectivity powerhouse to a digital powerhouse. Operators and ecosystem partners are committed to building experience-driven business models, supporting the development of future mobile AI and high-bandwidth applications with deterministic network capabilities.
4. du and Huawei Jointly Deploy UAE's First Multi-Band Indoor 5G Solution
UAE telecom operator du, in collaboration with Huawei, has jointly deployed the country's first customized multi-band indoor base station solution. This solution integrates 3G, 4G, and 5G functionalities into a single radio unit, specifically designed for indoor environments like VIP venues and shopping malls to enhance network coverage and performance. Its integrated design not only optimizes space occupancy and energy consumption but also supports du's sustainable operation goals and network efficiency improvement, aiding the UAE's digital transformation.
5. LPWAN tipping point – as LoRaWAN passes 125m devices
The number of globally connected LoRaWAN devices has surpassed 125 million, marking a tipping point for this low-power wide-area network technology into large-scale application. Its core advantages lie in ultra-low power consumption, long-range coverage, and deep penetration capabilities, making it suitable for battery-powered scenarios such as smart metering and environmental monitoring. The LoRaWAN ecosystem is mature, supporting both private and public networking. It is currently evolving by increasing data transmission rates and integrating with edge AI to meet the needs of more complex IoT applications involving images and audio.
6. FR3 explained — why it matters in Release 18
Frequency Range 3 (FR3, 7.125-24.25 GHz), serving as a "mid-high band," plays a key role in the evolution towards 5G-Advanced and 6G. Positioned between Sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave, it aims to provide additional capacity through more economical macro-site co-siting, avoiding the ultra-dense networking required by millimeter wave. FR3 will support uplink-intensive applications like XR and industrial control, and promote the development of non-terrestrial networks. Its actual deployment performance will depend on co-siting planning and antenna design.
7. My predictions for 2026 on 6G and AI infrastructure
In 2026, 6G will remain in the research phase, with commercial deployment still far off, and operators will focus more on enhancing the returns from existing 5G assets. Meanwhile, the decline in AI inference costs is slowing due to infrastructure constraints like electricity and land, consolidating the advantages of large-scale centralized inference models. Edge AI applications will be limited to specific scenarios. Energy security is becoming a core strategic element in AI infrastructure development, rather than just an operational detail.
8. Looking ahead: Ready or not, here comes 6G
6G standardization work began in 2025, with the industry expecting the first version of specifications to be included in 3GPP Release 21. Its detailed timeline will be finalized in June 2026. The first commercial 6G services are anticipated to launch around 2030. 5G Advanced technologies (such as AI integration and integrated sensing and communication) will lay the groundwork for 6G. Simultaneously, AI will be deeply integrated into 6G network design, and collaboration among various standards organizations will also be strengthened.