Yangquan, Jincheng, Xinzhou, Linfen and Lyuliang in North China's Shanxi province were recently recognized as national gigabit cities.

A national gigabit city is designated primarily based on 5G and gigabit optical network development. Each city must have a gigabit optical network coverage rate of at least 80 percent and 5G network access in key places. Additionally, 25 percent of its network users must be 5G users.

The gigabit optical network and 5G network – dual gigabit networks – are important components of new infrastructure. The Shanxi Communications Administration has been promoting the coordinated development of its dual gigabit networks, and has been continuously enhancing its network supply and service capabilities.

In 2023, the province constructed 26,000 new 5G base stations, bringing the provincial total to 93,000. The penetration rate of 5G users in Shanxi reached 58.6 percent, ranking 13th nationwide. The 5G network coverage in villages across the province reached 82.8 percent, and there were 1.62 million new households with broadband access of over 1 gigabit. Key locations such as airports, high-speed railways, subways, business districts, hospitals, and schools in the province achieved high-quality 5G network coverage.

More than 60 coal mines have explored and practiced 5G applications, and over 130 industrial enterprises have implemented 5G applications. New tourism experiences such as 5G+augmented reality scene interpretation and 5G+8K+virtual reality high-definition live broadcasts have been launched and are operational in key scenic spots, such as Yunqiu Mountain and House of the Huangcheng Chancellor.

As of the end of January 2024, seven prefecture-level cities in the province have been rated as national gigabit cities. They have been promoting technological innovations and business models concerning dual gigabit networks.