China Mobile Shanghai, Shentong Metro, and Huawei Build the World's Largest 5G Private Network for Rail Transport

5G applications and industry ecosystems have become buzzwords in China's 2021–2025 development programs and long-run objectives towards 2035. Since 2021, China Mobile Shanghai has been working with Shentong Metro Group on the research into and trial of building 5G public private networks – private 5G networks based on public 5G networks – for rail transport networks.

On May 20, 2024, the China Association of Metros approved the standards of 5G public private networks for rail transport, paving the way to introduce 5G technology to rail transport. Riding the wave of this national standard, China Mobile Shanghai plans to expand its 5G private network to all new and legacy metro lines spanning nearly 1,000 kilometers and linking more than 500 stations in Shanghai by leveraging its public 5G networks. The 5G private network will connect more than 10,000 devices, including handheld terminals, on-board devices, and sensors, becoming the world's largest 5G public private network in the rail transport sector. As of October this year, China Mobile Shanghai has achieved 5G-A network coverage on five subway lines of Shanghai Line 1, Line 6, Line 7, Line 8, and Line 12.