Splash247: China puts one-number 5G service across Yangtze ships

Published by Splash247

China’s Yangtze River Administration has activated a vessel-specific 5G communications system covering the river’s main stem and enrolled five shipping companies as its first pilots.

The system, called Yangtze New Link Number, was switched on at an inland-shipping forum in Wuhan this week.

It assigns each vessel a unique communications identity while allowing multiple onboard SIM cards to share one account and data plan.

The service runs over more than 5,200 China Mobile 5G base stations, which provide coverage across over 95% of the Yangtze main stem.

A dedicated shipboard terminal supports targeted ship-to-shore calls, fleet dispatch, video communications, navigational warnings, one-button distress alerts and direct access to the Yangtze shipping hotline.

The five pilot operators were chosen according to fleet size, route coverage and credit ratings. Their names and the number of vessels involved were not disclosed.

The administration intends to use the pilots to test the system across different sections of the river before a wider rollout.