The following content is reproduced from “First Financial News” public account
On November 22, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced at the China 5G + Industrial Internet Conference that the commercial trial of China’s satellite IoT business has officially started.
The trial period for this commercial experiment is two years. The goal is to enrich the supply of the satellite communication market, stimulate the vitality of market entities, enhance industry service capabilities, establish a safety supervision system, and form replicable and promotable experiences and models to support the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial space and low-altitude economy, serving 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 they will create an upgraded version of “5G + Industrial Internet”, implementing actions to empower the integration of industrial internet and artificial intelligence. They aim to 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 promote the collaborative ecosystem of industrial cooperation “towards practical” win-win outcomes.
China Galaxy Securities pointed out that the commercial trial of satellite IoT will drive the commercial space industry chain in China to extend from upstream manufacturing to downstream application, which means that the commercial satellite industry is about to enter a new stage 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, accurately filling the communication gaps in the low-altitude economy. Satellite IoT has become a key link connecting the two new productive forces of commercial space and low-altitude economy, promoting their deep coupling and collaborative efforts, and providing vast development space for related enterprises in the upstream and downstream of 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 National Congress of the Communist Party pointed out the need to promote the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, and implement the industrial internet innovation development project.
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 airplanes.
Yu Xiaohui, Director of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, stated that the previous IoT connected objects through ground networks, but many areas could not be reached, such as remote areas, the sky, and many areas of the ocean where network coverage is lacking. Satellite IoT has the characteristic of global coverage.
Zhu Keli, founding director of the National Research Institute for New Economy, mentioned that the commercial trial of satellite IoT can directly fill the communication gaps in the low-altitude economy and expand the application scenarios of the low-altitude economy. 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 the command center 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 industrial chain segments such as drone manufacturing, airspace management, and data services, forming a virtuous cycle of “technology – scenario – industry”.
As an important part of new infrastructure, China’s satellite communication development has entered the fast lane this year. Significant progress has been made in constellation construction, technological breakthroughs, and industrial development.
In August of this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the “Guiding Opinions on Optimizing Business Access to Promote the Development of the Satellite Communication Industry”, proposing 19 specific measures from aspects such as orderly expanding market access, continuously expanding application scenarios, cultivating and strengthening the industrial ecosystem, optimizing telecommunications resource supply, strengthening satellite communication supervision, and enhancing collaborative promotion.
The aforementioned guiding opinions mentioned organizing and carrying out commercial trials for satellite IoT, supporting qualified 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, ocean, and remote areas. Research on establishing new types of satellite communication businesses will 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 review and expert evaluation by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Only after passing these can they obtain trial qualifications.
The launch of the satellite IoT commercial trial indicates that upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain are ushering in development opportunities, and many enterprises are actively laying out. China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom have obtained qualifications for satellite mobile communication business operations, allowing them to legally conduct direct satellite connections for mobile phones and deepen applications in emergency communications, maritime communications, and communications in remote areas, enriching the supply of communication services and products.
China Mobile stated that it is actively expanding satellite fixed broadband, satellite IoT, mobile direct connection, and other businesses, continuously serving markets such as marine broadband and emergency rescue; promoting the sharing of Tiantong high-orbit satellites, and collaborating with China Space and Time to rely on Beidou and5G 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 areas, oceans, low-altitude, and low-orbit. 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 is still in the early stages of the industry, with market attention focused on relatively upstream satellite and rocket manufacturing links, but the simultaneous cultivation of application ends such as satellite IoT is expected to stimulate the vitality of market entities, enrich the supply of the satellite communication market, establish a safety supervision system, and at the same time support the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial space and low-altitude economy.
Creating an Upgraded Version of5G + Industrial Internet
At the conference, a humanoid robot that can make 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, unlike other robotic arms that appear stiff. This robot integrates multiple technologies including industrial control, artificial intelligence, and5G networks.
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party clearly proposed to promote the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, and implement the industrial internet innovation development project.
Regarding the key directions for the next stage 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 the collaborative ecosystem of industrial cooperation “towards practical” win-win outcomes.
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, carry out pilot projects for independent 5G private networks, and build intelligent and comprehensive digital information infrastructure. Implement the “chain-network collaboration” action for industrial internet and key industrial chains, formulate 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 with industry.
In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will continue to promote the integrated industrial internet in parks through the “Hundred Cities and Thousand Parks” initiative, continuously improve the standard system, deepen production-finance cooperation, promote industry-education integration, enhance international exchanges, and increase the connection value of the industrial internet industry.
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 of the 5G factory initiative 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. The “5G + Industrial Internet” has entered a new stage 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 such as artificial intelligence, accelerating the development of new intelligent terminals such as industrial smart sensors, intelligent detection equipment, and embodied intelligent robots, 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 companies 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 the Collaborative Development of the Industrial Internet Industry in the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Urban Agglomeration”.
According to the cooperation memorandum, the three provinces will combine their unique advantages, break regional restrictions, and differentially layout secondary nodes for industrial internet identification resolution, promoting the deep application of identification across provincial boundaries. Focusing on advantageous industries in the Yangtze River middle reaches urban agglomeration such as equipment manufacturing, automotive and parts, electronic information, non-ferrous metals, building materials, and food processing, they will jointly create 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 leadership have become the hallmark of high-quality development in Hubei. Accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system that reflects Hubei’s advantages. Accelerating the large-scale deployment of 5G–A and the R&D verification of 6G, striving to build a national demonstration zone for innovative development of the industrial internet, and fully creating a new benchmark for the Internet of Everything.
Wang Zhonglin mentioned that they will accelerate the “smart transformation and digital transition” of traditional industries such as automotive, steel, and chemicals, the “leapfrogging” of emerging industries such as integrated circuits and low-altitude economy, and the “track layout” of future industries such as quantum technology and brain-computer interfaces, fully striving to build 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, allowing enterprises to invest and develop in Hubei with confidence, and fully expanding new spaces for exchange and cooperation.
Source:First Financial News
Recommended by:Sun Xiuyuan
Editor:Zhang Junhong
Initial Review: Lu Leihong
Re-examination: Huang Yang
Final Review: Gao Xi
