China Telecom and China Unicom jointly launch the world’s first 5G-A service for high-speed rail

Delivering Gigabit 5G-A connectivity and AI-assured experiences for high-speed rail passengers

Partner Content High-speed rail (HSR) spans over 65,000 km globally, with China commanding 48,000 km—70% of the total. Each day, over 10,000 trains carry peaks of 16 million passengers, dominating mid- to long-haul journeys.

However, ultra-high speeds trigger frequent handovers; metal carriages shield signals; thousands of users strain bandwidth; tunnels and mountains block coverage—resulting in unstable connectivity.

World’s First HSR 5G-A Service via Co-Build Co-Share

China Telecom and China Unicom have transformed passenger experience by launching the world's first HSR 5G-A service.

This groundbreaking RAN-Sharing model is the key to both scale and sustainability. Co-sharing physical infrastructure reduces deployment costs by over 50%.

Moreover, substantial upgrades in network performance and user experience for passengers traveling at high speeds have also been achieved. By integrating spectrum resources of 200 MHz (3.5 GHz) and 40 MHz (2.1 GHz), the two parties have built the world's first 3CC 5G-A network. This enables single-user peak rates surpassing 1 Gbps, while delivering average downlink throughput of over 150 Mbps in high-speed railway environments.

Sustainable Business Closure of Dual-Tier Monetization

To maximize the value, an innovative dual-tier monetization strategy has been introduced.

For 5G-A Service subscribers, an optimal end-to-end 5G experience throughout their journey is guaranteed. For general users, tailored Premium bundles targeting specific traveler segments are also offered. The Office Premium package ensures seamless video conferencing and fast file transfers. The Entertainment Premium package guarantees uninterrupted high-definition video streaming, and the Gaming Premium package enables cloud gaming with a latency of less than 60 ms.

This refined market segmentation not only captures revenue from different passenger groups but also enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. Even passengers who do not subscribe to premium packages can enjoy stable basic 5G services, such as smooth access to social media and essential applications. Through these strategies, we have successfully achieved a business closure, turning technological advantages into economic benefits while ensuring universal digital accessibility on HSR.

Transforming Journeys for 330 Million Passengers Annually

The project elevates the full travel journey for 330 million annual HSR passengers. High-speed rail service apps now support instant scan-to-order meals, mobility bookings, and hotel reservations without stutter. Travelers enjoy instant-loading 8K video, zero-buffer short clips, and cloud gaming with latency under 60 ms. Business passengers complete zero-delay HD video conferences and transmit 1 GB files in under 10 seconds, boosting mobile workplace efficiency by 90% and extending productivity deep into each carriage.

Integration of AI and 5G-A Innovations Underpin Performance

5G-Advanced capabilities and AI are fully integrated. The system employs multi-carrier aggregation while AI algorithms proactively orchestrate network resources, dynamically optimizing connectivity to maintain exceptional service quality under demanding high-speed conditions, setting new benchmarks for railway digitalization worldwide. It is worth noting that real-time AI ensures premium service assurance. The network's AI core tracks user distribution and service patterns in real-time. It analyzes behavior/network for reliable delivery via closed-loop evaluation—prioritizing key apps (e.g., video calls) and balancing resources. Fully transparent to users: seamless QoS for premium, consistent for all.

Verified Excellence Across Key HSR Lines

• Hangzhou–Huangshan HSR Network handovers dropped by over 83%, interruptions shrank by 75%, and throughputs improved nearly 20%.
• Beijing–Guangzhou HSR Sustained 1 Gbps downloads at over 300 km/h. 1080P streaming share increased 15%, download speeds rose 18%, game latency fell 16%, and conferencing throughput gained up to 20%.
• Xuzhou–Lanzhou HSR Peaks approaching 1.1 Gbps and delivering 655 Mbps average downlink.

Internet speed test on high-speed rail 1 - Click to enlarge

Internet speed test on high-speed rail 2 - Click to enlarge

China Telecom and China Unicom, have established a scalable model for global rail operators pursuing reliable, gigabit-grade connectivity in ultra-high-speed environments. Passengers now travel faster, work smarter, and stay connected without compromise.

Contributed by ZTE.