China's 5G base stations top 4.958 million by end of March 2026

The number of 5G base stations in China reached 4.958 million as of the end of March 2026, officials said on Tuesday at a State Council Information Office press conference on the development of industry and information technology.

China now has 32.01 million 10G passive optical network (PON) ports capable of delivering gigabit broadband services. Pilot deployments of 10-gigabit optical networks are underway in 168 residential communities, factories and industrial parks across 86 cities. Meanwhile, 5G-Advanced (5G-A) has been rolled out in 330 cities nationwide. The mobile Internet of Things (IoT) sector has also grown rapidly, with the number of connected terminal users reaching 2.948 billion.

The country has achieved gigabit optical network access in every county, as well as 5G coverage in all towns. Broadband service is available in 100 percent of administrative villages, while more than 95 percent now have 5G coverage. Border management and trade facilities have been connected to 4G or 5G networks.

Network coverage has also been strengthened in transportation and public facilities. China has provided deep network coverage to 269,000 key venues, while continuous connectivity has been established along 654,000 kilometers of highways and railways and across 316 subway lines.

Officials also said China has continued to promote the large-scale development of the 5G+ industrial internet.

To date, the country has launched more than 25,000 5G+ industrial internet projects, built 1,260 specialized 5G factories and established 100 benchmark smart factories featuring advanced technologies and best-practice models, helping lift product quality by 20.5%, cut operating costs by 18.4% and increase production capacity by 24.7%.