China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) has completed testing and validation of what it calls Hong Kong’s first Upper 6GHz mobile network, marking an early deployment of spectrum intended to support 5G-Advanced and future 6G services.
The operator said the test took place at its Mong Kok flagship store. CMHK did not disclose the number of active sites, the equipment supplier, a commercial launch date or the network’s current coverage area.
Network test uses spectrum acquired in 2024
CMHK said in an official announcement that it validated the U6GHz network after acquiring 100 MHz of contiguous spectrum in Hong Kong’s 6/7GHz auction in November 2024.
The Office of the Communications Authority said at the time that Hong Kong was the first jurisdiction to auction 6/7GHz spectrum for public mobile services. The regulator awarded CMHK the 6570MHz to 6670MHz block for HKD 210 million ($27 million).
Hong Kong Telecommunications and SmarTone Mobile Communications each acquired separate 100 MHz blocks in the same auction, which raised HKD 630 million in total. The three awards give the territory’s major operators access to additional mid-band capacity for 5G and later network generations.
CMHK said the new spectrum can be combined with its existing frequency holdings to deliver download speeds of up to 3Gbps. The performance figure is company-provided and was not independently verified. The operator also did not publish details about test conditions, uplink performance or the devices used.
Upper 6GHz adds capacity for dense urban areas
The Upper 6GHz range sits above the spectrum commonly used for today’s 5G networks. Its wider channels can add capacity while retaining more practical coverage characteristics than higher millimeter-wave frequencies.
CMHK said the added bandwidth is intended to support more simultaneous connections in congested areas, high-definition video and large data transfers. The company also pointed to future uses involving smart glasses, AI robots, image analysis and immersive applications, although it did not announce any enterprise customers or commercial services tied to the network.
The deployment is better understood as a 5G-Advanced spectrum validation than a commercial 6G launch. Global 6G standards and mass-market networks are still under development, while U6GHz is already being evaluated for 5G-Advanced capacity and as a bridge toward future 6G systems.
In June, TNGlobal reported that carriers in Hong Kong and Macao were beginning U6GHz deployment as equipment makers positioned the band for AI-heavy mobile services.
Hotspot expansion planned without a timetable
CMHK said it plans to work with industry partners on U6GHz product development and testing, and to expand hotspot coverage according to demand. The company did not provide a timetable for a wider commercial rollout or identify which districts would be covered next.
The Mong Kok validation gives CMHK an early operational test of the spectrum it bought nearly two years ago. The next milestones will be broader coverage, compatible consumer devices and evidence that the additional capacity can support commercially useful services beyond a controlled flagship-store environment.
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