5G to be expected on world's longest cross-sea bridge in China

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, touted to be the world's longest cross-sea bridge, is expected to have 5G service in the future, the structure's network operator said.

The 55-km bridge that opened last month connects the mainland province of Guangdong with China's two special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macao.

"The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge now has good coverage of 4G service. Experts and workers have overcome the difficulties of a complex construction environment and the lack of an optical fibre to provide tailored 4G solutions for the bridge and prepare for the future upgrading of 5G service," Fang Zheng, vice general manager of the WLAN office of ZTE Corp, was quoted by as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

From the very beginning, the technological base needed for 5G has been considered in terms of network architecture, room for 5G station and the installment of fibre, Fang said.

Experts and workers extended the coverage area of the optical fibre to 20 km, double the conventional maximum onshore coverage of 10 km, to ensure full coverage of network signal along the bridge.

The bridge can be seen as a unique application of wireless technology, highlighting the high-quality products and advanced technology provided by China's communication sector, Fang said.

The bridge is now ready for the access of Internet of Things, a major business to be achieved by 5G technology, the Xinhua report said.