China Mobile Plans to Launch 5G Trials in 2018

(Beijing) — Leading wireless carrier China Mobile Ltd. said it will start major trials for fifth-generation (5G) mobile technology in 2018, kicking off a new round of billions of dollars in new investment to usher in an era of high-speed communications and the "internet of things."

China Mobile will test the technology for about two years, with a target date of 2020 for launching 5G commercial service, CEO Li Yue said. That timeline mirrors a similar trend that often sees China roll out its newest generation of mobile networks two to three years after its counterparts in the West.