Introduction to 5G-A Network Monetisation
The roar of 80,000 fans at Shanghai Stadium on September 21, 2025, wasn’t just about the football match between Shanghai Shenhua and Chengdu Rongcheng – it was also a live demonstration of how telecom carriers are tackling one of their most pressing challenges: converting advanced network capabilities into revenue. Huawei brought international media to witness this implementation firsthand, offering many of us in the international press corps our first experience of Chinese football culture. As supporters cheered in waves of blue and white, capturing moments on their phones and sharing videos without (despite the crushing crowd density), China Mobile Shanghai’s newly deployed 5G-A network monetisation strategy was being tested in real-time, powered by Huawei’s GainLeap solution and intelligent wireless infrastructure.
The Technical Challenge
From the media section, the scale of the technical challenge became apparent – ensuring 80,000 simultaneous users could stream, upload, and transact without network degradation required more than additional bandwidth. For context, China Mobile Shanghai has become the first carrier in China to launch a differentiated 5G-A experience package, marking what industry observers see as a shift in how telecom operators might address revenue growth in saturated markets.
The Business Model Innovation
The partnership between China Mobile Shanghai and Shanghai Shenhua Football Club targets approximately 200,000 football fans with an annual package that combines network performance guarantees with fan-specific benefits. Subscribers receive network acceleration for 5G-A users, access to all football matches via Migu streaming service, unlimited video ringback tone downloads, and Shanghai Shenhua Football Club merchandise. This approach to 5G-A network monetisation addresses what China Mobile Shanghai identifies as a important pain point for the telecommunications industry: how to drive quality growth when user acquisition has reached its ceiling.
The Technical Infrastructure Behind the Experience
For Shanghai Stadium, China Mobile Shanghai implemented what it describes as an “elastic network” capable of handling massive concurrent demand. During the match, with 80,000 users accessing the network simultaneously, 5G-A package subscribers can achieve download speeds of 600 Mbps. The necessary technical foundation relies on Huawei’s GainLeap solution, which lets network identify 5G-A subscribers and allocate them a high-speed 3CC (three-component carrier) channel. The differentiation is key to the 5G-A network monetisation model – creating measurable performance differences between standard and premium subscribers.
Infrastructure Deployment Scale
To support the high concurrent demand during events, China Mobile Shanghai and Huawei conducted comprehensive network upgrades at the stadium. The lower stands received 32 new 2.6 GHz and 4.9 GHz pRRUs (passive remote radio units), more than doubling overall network capacity. Seven escalator entrances each received a 4.9 GHz EM device to eliminate coverage dead spots. On match days, more than 40 engineers are stationed onsite for real-time network monitoring and dynamic optimisation.
The Practical User Experience
For fans at the match, the differentiated service manifested practically. The high bandwidth and business-level assurance capabilities enabled quick mobile payments for drinks, snacks, and souvenirs onsite. Users could share video highlights in real time without lag, even during peak moments when thousands attempted simultaneous uploads. The ability to instantly see likes and comments from friends while still in the stadium represents the kind of enhanced experience that China Mobile Shanghai is betting users will value enough to pay a premium for.
Industry Implications
The initiative raises questions about the future of 5G-A network monetisation strategies in the telecommunications industry. Traditional models have struggled to justify the massive infrastructure investments required for 5G and now 5G-Advanced networks. By creating tiered experiences tied to specific user communities – in this case, football fans – carriers may have found a way to differentiate services beyond simple speed tiers. The approach also represents a test case for how deeply integrated AI capabilities in network infrastructure can enable new business models.
Conclusion
The partnership between China Mobile Shanghai and Shanghai Shenhua Football Club demonstrates a novel approach to 5G-A network monetisation, focusing on creating enhanced experiences for specific user communities. By leveraging Huawei’s GainLeap solution and intelligent wireless infrastructure, China Mobile Shanghai is able to offer differentiated services that create measurable performance differences between standard and premium subscribers. As the telecommunications industry continues to evolve, this initiative may provide valuable insights into the future of 5G-A network monetisation strategies.
FAQs
- What is 5G-A network monetisation?
5G-A network monetisation refers to the strategies used by telecom carriers to generate revenue from their 5G-Advanced network capabilities. - How does China Mobile Shanghai’s approach to 5G-A network monetisation work?
China Mobile Shanghai’s approach involves creating tiered experiences tied to specific user communities, such as football fans, and offering differentiated services that create measurable performance differences between standard and premium subscribers. - What is the role of Huawei’s GainLeap solution in China Mobile Shanghai’s 5G-A network monetisation strategy?
Huawei’s GainLeap solution lets the network identify 5G-A subscribers and allocate them a high-speed 3CC (three-component carrier) channel, creating measurable performance differences between standard and premium subscribers. - What are the potential industry implications of China Mobile Shanghai’s 5G-A network monetisation strategy?
The initiative may provide valuable insights into the future of 5G-A network monetisation strategies, potentially paving the way for new business models that leverage deeply integrated AI capabilities in network infrastructure.
