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China now has 5G on the subway and it’s super fast
The Beijing subway is the first to offer a 5G network across an entire line
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
How would you like to play high-bandwidth VR games in the subway? While it’s probably a bad idea -- imagine a subway packed with people blinded by VR goggles -- it might become possible in the near future in Beijing.
Local telecom operator China Mobile has joined hands with one of the operators of the Beijing subway to launch a 5G network on one subway line. The Beijing MTR Corporation equipped all 10 stations along the metro’s Line 16 with super-fast internet access, Chinese state media reported.
Why 5G isn't just faster video streaming on your smartphone
Local media tested the new subway 5G network and measured download speeds of 933 Mbps and upload speeds of 87Mbps, significantly higher than speeds found on an average 4G network.
Theoretically, 5G download speeds can reach up to 1 Gbps, which means seamless streaming of high-definition content like 4K video. It might even make getting to the platform faster, as bringing up QR codes for payment -- now a common sight at subway turnstiles across China -- should become much faster.
How the QR code conquered China
Internet in subways isn’t new. Many cities around the world have equipped their subway systems and buses with WiFi, including Seoul, which introduced its ultra-fast 1.25 Gbps internet last year.
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