Hangzhou to build 300 5G cell towers by 2018

HANGZHOU - Hangzhou, in East China's Zhejiang province, will build 300 cell towers by the end of 2018, another step toward rolling out 5G networks across China.

Hangzhou is home to many of China's internet giants, such as Alibaba and Netease, and is among the first cities to build and test 5G networks in China.

According to China Mobile's Zhejiang branch, the cell towers will be built at major public facilities, scientific institutions, and scenic spots, covering an area of more than 100 square kilometers.

Customers in Hangzhou will be able to experience network speeds up to 20,000Mb per second, said Zheng Jie, general manager of the Zhejiang branch.

"The fast network will also enable internet-based companies to explore new opportunities," said Zheng Jie, adding that local AR, VR, and internet companies are forming alliances to promote innovation.

China plans to apply 5G technology to terminal devices as early as the second half of 2019, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.