China Mobile launches groundbreaking 5.5G service for tailored user experiences

China Mobile, the world's largest mobile network operator, has announced the commercial readiness of its 5G-A intelligent network service, introducing an innovative AI-driven approach to managing network resources and ensuring reliable service.

The "intelligent, differentiated experience assurance service" uses AI to dynamically adjust network resources, and could be a game-changer for operators confronting the challenges of rapidly increasing network demands.

"As mobile internet services enter the era of 5G-A and AI, data service types are becoming increasingly diverse, creating new requirements for network resource allocation and service assurance," said Feng Zheng, chief expert of China Mobile Group. "For instance, livestreaming requires uplink bandwidth assurance, video conferencing requires assurance for downlink bandwidth, uplink bandwidth for speakers, and real-time interaction, while gaming requires assurance for low network latency."

China Mobile's 5G-A network can simultaneously handle all these use cases by relying on intelligent packet core network technology, which Huawei launched earlier this year. The system can prioritize traffic based on real-time needs, ensuring critical services receive necessary resources even during peak usage.

"When the network is congested and resources are stretched thin, our core network can detect in real-time if the user experience is being affected," Feng explained. "It can then quickly allocate additional network resources to that specific user or application, ensuring that they continue to receive high-quality service without interruptions."

Feng described this advancement as a "leap from zero to one," explaining that this technology represents a genuinely new approach to network management, prioritizing user experience above all else.

The innovation enables China Mobile to offer a wide range of specialized services for VIP clients while simultaneously enhancing overall network performance. Feng emphasized that without machine learning, providing VIP services would be difficult without significant performance trade-offs elsewhere in the network.

"For example," Feng said, "when tens of thousands of users simultaneously access data services, the network must continuously adjust its resource allocation. Decisions need to be made about prioritizing VIP user experience, basic user experience, or finding a balance between the two. This involves highly complex calculations and inference, and that requires machine intelligence. None of these capabilities were possible in the 4G or 5G era."

China Mobile's journey toward core network intelligence began in 2022, with research and innovation efforts encompassing lab testing, live network pilots, and large-scale tests. "Our first success was during the 2023 Asian Games, where we collaborated with Migu and Huawei to provide HD video streaming for the event, achieving excellent results," said Feng. "Later, in 2024, we initiated live network pilots in six provinces to comprehensively verify the assurance services for network functions and customer service experiences."

During the 2024 Chinese New Year in Henan province, China Mobile deployed the service to provide dedicated support for communications during a fireworks festival. The intelligent network ensured that critical services remained uninterrupted, despite the high network traffic generated by the event.

To achieve these results, China Mobile added a layer of intelligence to its core network, transforming how it connects and communicates, making it vastly more adaptable. "Unlike other recent attempts to integrate AI into mobile networks, our approach embeds intelligence directly into the core network itself, making it an intrinsic part of how data is processed and delivered," explained Feng.

Based on a technology called NWDAF (Network Data Analytics Function) defined by 3GPP, the intelligent layer allows the network to make informed decisions about allocating network resources, ensuring that each user and application receives the necessary support for optimal performance.

"To support various applications and our unique needs, we improved and expanded upon the 3GPP standards," stated Feng. These improvements allow the network to precisely identify different services, understand the user experience, and collect and report customized information and data at the specific points in the network where the service data flows through.

The NWDAF also plays a crucial role in keeping users informed about the status of their services. It sends real-time updates to the business operation support system, which then notifies customers about any changes or enhancements to their service via text message or a special icon on their device. According to Feng, this dual feedback loop ensures that users are always aware of how the network works to meet their specific needs.

Looking forward, China Mobile will continue to work closely with its partners to explore new applications for the technology, Feng said.

"This is the first step in experience monetization," Feng stated, emphasizing that the company plans to develop its intelligent network, gradually rolling out more specialized services and user scenarios.

While the specific timeline for commercial scaling will depend on various factors, including the progress of network infrastructure upgrades, China Mobile is confident that its intelligent network will become a blueprint for operators worldwide in the coming years.