Hangzhou Asian Games goes 5G with China Telecom & China Mobile sponsorship deal

The organising committee of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games announced China Telecom and China Mobile as official communication service partners, and they will provide 5G network coverage throughout the event.

The announcement was made at a press conference on Thursday, with demonstrations of athletes wearing smartbands and their performances showing on the screen in real time.

Chen Weiqiang, the deputy secretary-general of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Commitee, as well as the deputy major of Hangzhou, said: “Communication services are an important part of any event, and it’s important for us to realise the “smart” vision we have for this Asian Games. We hope that the joint partnership of China Telecom and China Mobile can give us maximum synergy.”

5G technology was integrated at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018, but China Telecom and China Mobile both intend to raise the game at the Hangzhou Asian Games, according to reports in Hangzhou.com.cn. At the press conference they envisioned scenarios where those at the Games would have AI security inspections supported by 5G tech, using advanced 3D biometric technology that identified individuals as well as detects prohibited items. 8K HD live boardcasts with resolutions of up to 7680 x 4320 were also suggested, and holographic projections of live games as well.

“We will use 5G technology, and integrate AI, cloud computing, big data and edge computing with the Asian games, to help make the Hangzhou Asian Games a top-level event with high-tech capabilities,” said Chen Hongtao, deputy general manager at China Mobile.