On November 22, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced at the China 5G + Industrial Internet Conference that the commercial trials for China’s satellite IoT business have officially commenced.
The trial period will last for two years. The goal is to enrich the supply in the satellite communication market, stimulate the vitality of market entities, enhance industry service capabilities, establish a safety supervision system, and create replicable and promotable experiences and models to support the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial space and the low-altitude economy, thereby contributing to the construction of a new development pattern.
Li Lecheng, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated at the conference that an upgraded version of “5G + Industrial Internet” will be developed, implementing actions to empower the integration of industrial internet and artificial intelligence. This will promote the leap of industrial internet towards intelligence, coordinate the layout of new infrastructure towards optimization, accelerate the expansion of industry integration applications towards innovation, and facilitate a practical win-win industrial cooperation ecosystem.
China Galaxy Securities pointed out that the commercial trials for satellite IoT will drive the commercial space industry chain in China to extend from upstream manufacturing to downstream applications. This means that the commercial satellite industry is about to enter a new phase of dual efforts from demand-side traction and supply-side support, with the industrial closed loop expected to take shape. Relying on space-based networks, satellite IoT can achieve global real-time tracking and data transmission for low-altitude aircraft, effectively addressing the communication shortcomings of the low-altitude economy. Satellite IoT has become a key link connecting the two new productive forces of commercial space and the low-altitude economy, promoting their deep coupling and collaborative efforts, thus providing vast development space for related enterprises along the industrial chain.
Supporting the Development of Commercial Space and Low-altitude Economy
Building a strong network country is a key part of constructing a modern industrial system centered on advanced manufacturing during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party pointed out the need to promote the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, implementing innovative development projects for the industrial internet.
The satellite IoT business refers to a low-speed data service that connects various IoT devices through satellite communication technology, providing wide-area IoT connectivity for data collection terminals, wearable devices, handheld terminals, and transportation tools such as cars, ships, and aircraft.
Yu Xiaohui, President of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, stated that the previous IoT connected objects through ground networks, but many areas, such as remote regions, the sky, and oceans, were unreachable due to network coverage limitations. Satellite IoT features full-area coverage.
Zhu Keli, founding director of the National Research Institute for New Economy, mentioned that the commercial trials for satellite IoT can directly fill the communication gaps in the low-altitude economy and expand its application scenarios. For example, agricultural drones can be supported by satellite communication for cross-regional scheduling and operational data return during transnational operations; emergency rescue drones can maintain contact with command centers via satellite when ground networks are lost in disaster areas. This technological integration will attract more capital and resources into the low-altitude field, promoting the collaborative development of the drone manufacturing, airspace management, and data service sectors, forming a virtuous cycle of “technology – scenario – industry.”
As an important part of new infrastructure, China’s satellite communication development has entered a fast lane this year, with significant progress in constellation construction, technological breakthroughs, and industrial development.
In August, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the “Guiding Opinions on Optimizing Business Access to Promote the Development of the Satellite Communication Industry,” proposing 19 specific measures from various aspects such as orderly market expansion, continuous application scenario expansion, nurturing and strengthening the industrial ecosystem, optimizing telecommunications resource supply, enhancing satellite communication supervision, and improving collaborative promotion efforts.
The guiding opinions mentioned organizing and conducting commercial trials for satellite IoT, supporting eligible enterprises to rely on low-orbit satellite IoT constellations to provide wide-area IoT connectivity services for areas where ground networks cannot cover, such as the sky, oceans, and remote regions. It also studies the establishment of new satellite communication businesses to further expand access for private enterprises.
In October, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology publicly solicited opinions on the “Notice on Organizing Commercial Trials for Satellite IoT Business (Draft for Comments).”
To ensure the quality of the trials and industry standards, the draft for comments set clear thresholds for participating enterprises, requiring them to have the capability to build satellite IoT constellations, a reputation or ability to provide long-term services to users, and a scientifically sound commercial trial plan. In the application process, enterprises must first undergo preliminary review by the local communication management bureau, followed by examination and expert evaluation by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Only after passing these steps can they obtain trial qualifications.
The launch of commercial trials for satellite IoT signifies development opportunities for enterprises along the industrial chain, with many companies actively positioning themselves. China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom have obtained qualifications for satellite mobile communication business operations, allowing them to legally conduct services such as direct satellite connections for mobile phones, deepening applications in emergency communications, maritime communications, and communications in remote areas, thus enriching the supply of communication services and products.
China Mobile stated that it is actively expanding satellite fixed broadband, satellite IoT, and direct mobile connections, continuously serving markets such as marine broadband and emergency rescue; promoting the sharing of Tiantong high-orbit satellites, and collaborating with China Space to rely on Beidou and 5G networks to launch Beidou SMS services, achieving phased results in expanding terminal ecosystems and user scale.
On November 21, China Telecom launched the country’s first “Tiantong + Beidou” domestic satellite-based high-precision positioning service for trial commercial use, providing services for areas with no or weak network coverage, such as remote regions, oceans, low-altitude, and low-orbit areas. In the future, scenarios such as drone inspections, drone deliveries, and low-altitude aviation will have stronger signal support.
According to analysis by Caitong Securities, China’s commercial space industry is still in its early stages, with market attention focused on relatively upstream satellite and rocket manufacturing sectors. However, the simultaneous cultivation of application endpoints such as satellite IoT is expected to stimulate market vitality, enrich the supply of satellite communication markets, establish safety supervision systems, and create replicable and promotable experiences and models, while supporting the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial space and the low-altitude economy.
Creating an Upgraded Version of 5G + Industrial Internet
At the conference, a humanoid robot capable of making coffee attracted a lot of attention. Staff introduced that it is a six-axis dual-arm bionic robot that makes hand-brewed coffee, with more precise and smoother movements compared to other robotic arms that appear stiff. This robot integrates multiple technologies, including industrial control, artificial intelligence, and 5G networks.
The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party clearly proposed promoting the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, implementing innovative development projects for the industrial internet.
Regarding the key directions for the next phase of industrial internet development, Li Lecheng stated that the first is to promote the leap of industrial internet towards intelligence; the second is to coordinate the layout of new infrastructure towards optimization; the third is to accelerate the expansion of industry integration applications towards innovation; and the fourth is to promote a practical win-win industrial cooperation ecosystem.
Li Lecheng stated that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will promote the integrated deployment and collaborative construction of five major systems: network, identification, platform, data, and security, accelerate the development of new industrial networks, conduct pilot projects for independent 5G networks, and build intelligent comprehensive digital information infrastructure. It will implement actions for “chain-network collaboration” in the industrial internet and key industrial chains, develop integration application guidelines by industry, create an upgraded version of “5G + Industrial Internet,” accelerate the construction of 5G factories, and strengthen forward-looking research on the integration of 6G and industry.
In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will continue to promote the integrated activities of the industrial internet in parks through the “Hundred Cities and Thousand Parks” initiative, continuously improve the standard system, deepen industry-finance cooperation, promote industry-education integration, enhance international exchanges, and increase the industrial internet’s value in connectivity.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China will accelerate the implementation of “5G + Industrial Internet” applications. The industrial internet will achieve full coverage of 41 major industrial categories, and the goals for the construction of 5G factories will be fully completed. China has over a hundred 5G factories at a globally leading level, with an average capacity increase of 25%, product quality improvement of 21%, and a 19% reduction in operating costs. “5G + Industrial Internet” has entered a new phase of large-scale application.
With the application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the core technologies of “5G + Industrial Internet” are innovatively integrated with new technologies like artificial intelligence, accelerating the development of new intelligent terminals such as industrial intelligent sensors, intelligent detection devices, and embodied intelligent robots, thus giving rise to new products and new industries.
Yang Yanding, Deputy Chief Engineer and General Manager of Strategic Planning at Dongfeng Motor Group, stated that in the automotive industry, generative artificial intelligence has improved design efficiency by over 8%, with nearly 90% of automotive companies having introduced AI-assisted operations, and over 65% of car manufacturers planning to establish dedicated AI positions. In the future, artificial intelligence will deeply penetrate all aspects of enterprise operations, promoting the popularization of customized production and precise service models.
During the conference, the Hubei Provincial Government signed a cooperation memorandum with China Telecom, China Unicom, China Mobile, China Information Science and Technology, and China Tower. The industrial and information authorities of Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hunan provinces signed the “Cooperation Memorandum for Regional Collaborative Development of Industrial Internet in the Central Yangtze River Urban Agglomeration.”
According to the cooperation memorandum, the three provinces will leverage their unique advantages, break regional limitations, and differentially layout secondary nodes for industrial internet identification resolution, promoting the deep application of identification across provincial boundaries. They will focus on advantageous industries in the Central Yangtze River urban agglomeration, such as equipment manufacturing, automotive and parts, electronic information, non-ferrous metals, building materials, and food processing, jointly creating a number of typical application scenarios for 5G, 5G-A, and industrial internet regional collaboration.
Wang Zhonglin, Secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Congress, stated that digital-driven and intelligent-led development has become a hallmark of high-quality development in Hubei. They will accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system that reflects Hubei’s advantages, speed up the large-scale deployment of 5G-A and the research and verification of 6G, and strive to build a national demonstration zone for innovative development of the industrial internet, fully creating a new benchmark for the Internet of Everything.
Wang Zhonglin mentioned that they will accelerate the intelligent transformation and digital transition of traditional industries such as automotive, steel, and chemicals, and the “fission leap” of emerging industries such as integrated circuits and the low-altitude economy, as well as the “track layout” of future industries such as quantum technology and brain-computer interfaces, fully committing to building a new high ground for the intelligent economy. They will adhere to openness as a priority, deepen cooperation between ministries and provinces, regional cooperation, and government-enterprise cooperation, and accelerate the creation of a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, ensuring that enterprises can invest and develop in Hubei with confidence, while fully expanding new spaces for exchange and cooperation.
Duty Editor: Xia Mu