Zhao Dachun: 5G Plus BDS, a Solution to Industrial Development

Integrated application of 5G and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is expected to promote development of various industries.

Zhao Dachun, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and deputy general manager of China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd. (China Mobile), suggested at the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference promoting application of 5G and BDS in fields like automatic driving, smart port and navigation, smart aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, measuring and surveying, disaster prevention and mitigation, and travel and mass consumption.

Zhao mentioned that the BDS system completed in 2020 is now providing positioning and navigation data to global users. 5G plus BDS is expected to evolve into one of the most crucial infrastructure in the digital age.

He went on to explain that the high-precision positioning service can be provided to users within coverage of the BDS base stations through mobile communication network like 5G. The service can be used in such traditional and emerging industries as engineering and construction, measuring and surveying, environmental observation, port handling and airdrome control as well as smart logistics and precision farming.

High-precision positioning infrastructure based on the integrated system of 5G and BDS will promote industrialization, informatization, urbanization and modern agriculture to support construction of digital China.

China has made progress of 5G and BDS-based positioning in infrastructure construction, fusion application and environmental protection.

By the end of 2020, three telecommunication operators – China Mobile, China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd. and China Telecommunications Corporation – had built more than 710,000 5G base stations nationwide. Construction of the BDS ground base augmentation stations is also underway.

Based on its 5G base stations, China Mobile has built more than 4,000 BDS ground base augmentation stations and completed the world's largest 5G plus BDS high-precision positioning system which covers 31 provincial regions in the country.

However, Zhao added that problems and challenges can be expected. They include scattered infrastructure resources, a lack of industrial standard and supporting policies, and an incomplete industrial chain.

Therefore, he suggested completing national planning centered on 5G and the BDS system and making law and regulations related to construction, sharing and protection of 5G plus BDS infrastructure.

He also called for involvement of 5G and BDS applications in major industries like traffic, energy, industry and agriculture and making key standards for the 5G plus BDS high-precision positioning industry.

Setting industrial models can also be a way of boosting development of the 5G plus BDS industry. Zhao suggested governments at all levels encourage leading enterprises in all fields to participate in 5G plus BDS projects to promote its mass application.

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)