China began to study 5G communications technologies

Almaty. January 13. Silkroadnews - Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China announced the beginning of the study of communication technologies of the fifth generation (5G), the agency Xinhua informs.
“This will lay the foundation for the introduction of 5G networks in commercial operation in 2020”, the publication says.
According to the plan, 5G research and testing will be held in China within 2016-2018 and divided into three stages: testing of 5G key technologies, verification of 5G technical solutions and 5G verification system.
Director of the China Institute of Information and Communications Technology Cao Shumin said that the main purpose of this step is to support the development of 5G international standard and stimulate 5G technologies development and implementation.  
For example, in Japan, 5-generation network is scheduled to launch in 2020 to support the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Republic of Korea is scheduled to begin 5G networks operation in test mode at the beginning of 2018 and put into commercial operation at the end of 2020. Some operators in the US are ready to start 5G technology testing in 2016.
To remind - China launched the development of 3G technology in 2001, 4G - in 2008. The data by the above-mentioned ministry shows that by the end of 2015 the total number of mobile subscribers in China reached 356 million people for 4G and 408 million people for 3G.