The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Thursday issued 5G commercial licenses to four state-owned telecom companies.

In an announcement on its official website, the ministry said it had issued licenses to phone carriers China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom, as well as China Broadcasting Network — a company that integrates broadcasting, internet, and telecommunications — to operate the fifth-generation of cellular network technology. Minister Miao Wei also said China would welcome foreign enterprises “to actively participate in China’s 5G market, seek common development, and share the results.”

Following the notice, Chinese telecom giant Huawei said in a statement that it will use its advanced 5G capabilities to fully support the domestic telecom operators. “We believe that in the near future, China’s 5G will lead the world,” the statement said.

On Monday, the ministry had said that commercial-use licensing for 5G technology would be rolled out “soon.” This year, China’s expenses on 5G-related infrastructure are expected to reach 34.2 billion yuan ($4.95 billion), with China Mobile planning to build 30,000-50,000 5G base stations in the country and China Telecom planning to build 20,000, according to a China Daily report. (Image: IC)