The future is now: 5G comes to National Games

Installation of support facilities for 5G technology in major stadiums for China's 14th National Games will be completed in March and enter service in May, a senior official with the competition's organizing committee said on Wednesday.

The Xi'an Olympic Sports Center, the main venue for the 14th National Games in 2021, will be the first 5G-enabled intelligent sports competition center in China, said Li Bo, deputy director of the stadium department of the organizing committee for the event in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

"The stadium, which has taken full advantage of 5G technology, with faster data transmission and more possible users, will deliver multiple projects next year, including 5G intelligent robots, a 5G venue light show, 5G-powered smart security drones and rapid epidemic prevention and control applications," Li said.

Competitions at the upcoming 14th National Games, including videos of injured athletes, will be transmitted in real time clearly by 5G to designated platforms or hospitals, Li said.

By the end of this year, 18,000 5G base stations will be installed in Shaanxi province, with 203 5G macro sites scheduled to be built for the 14th National Games, the organizing committee said.

The Xi'an Olympic Sports Center, with a total area of more than 525,000 square meters, consists of a stadium with 60,000 seats, a gymnasium with 18,000 seats and a swimming and diving hall with 4,000 seats. The opening and closing ceremonies of the event will be held in the sports center in September.

Shaanxi province will host 34 sports and 387 events at the event, with two of the 34 sports held outside the province, organizers said earlier.