(Yicai) Sept. 25 -- Besides sports, the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou has become a stage for faster internet connections, including fifth-generation-advanced, a transition phase between 5G and 6G.

China United Network Communications Group, also known as China Unicom, and China Mobile are showcasing their latest network achievements to visitors of the multi-sport event in the eastern city. The games, which include badminton, archery, and boxing, are held till Oct. 8.

5G-A, also known as 5.5G, is the next step toward more powerful internet connectivity before 6G which is expected to emerge from 2030 onwards.

Several outdoor and indoor venues of the multi-sport event in the eastern city are covered by 5G-A, also known as 5.5G, a source from Beijing-headquartered China Unicom said to Yicai. A single user can download data as quickly as 10,000 million bits per second.

During the opening ceremony, China Mobile set up 134 antennae besides other types of telecom equipment to provide internet connection to nearly 80,000 spectators and 20,000 staff members. The 5G data transmission rate at the main venue reached 4.34 Gbps, the network operator disclosed.

A visitor who had been at the opening ceremony told Yicai that the 5G signal had full strength inside the main venue with smooth transmission of texts and pictures and no delay in using social media apps, such as WeChat, QQ, and Weibo.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine