Rohde & Schwarz and China Mobile unveil first 5G-AI testing platform

The lack of standardized metrics for AI inference over wireless networks has made it difficult for streaming and cloud providers to guarantee performance on mobile hardware. By establishing TTFT and TPS as core KPIs, this platform enables developers to optimize cloud-hosted LLMs for real-world signal variability. For the broader ecosystem, this signals a shift from bandwidth-centric testing to latency-and-compute-centric validation, which is critical for future AI-driven video commentary and interactive XR applications. Watch for whether these specific metrics are formally adopted into upcoming 3GPP Release 19 or 20 standards as the industry formalizes the 5G-Advanced and 6G transition.

The collaboration arrives as Chinese operators rapidly transition from traditional byte-based charging models to AI token-based pricing architectures. Per Informa and Omdia (July 2026), carriers like China Mobile and China Telecom are trialing 'Giga Uplink' sites and 5G-Advanced 'exclusive lane' services to support high-bandwidth AI tools. These services often include guaranteed 20 Mbps uplink speeds specifically for real-time interactive agents and generative media applications. China Mobile’s Migu unit, for example, demonstrated AI agents at MWC Shanghai that convert real-time match data into visual tactical analytics for the 2026 World Cup.

Broader institutional efforts are also accelerating. According to GSMA reporting (July 2026), the GSMA Foundry has established an Open-Telco AI initiative that includes an LLM Benchmarking Project and leaderboard. This mirrors wider industry research into AI-native air interfaces, where neural networks handle channel state information (CSI) compression—a feature Rohde & Schwarz began demonstrating on the CMX500 as early as mid-2025. These technical developments are viewed as foundational for 6G, which is expected to integrate computing power into every base station and routing node.

Government and regulatory bodies in China are simultaneously pushing for 'dual 10-gigabit' networks to support what they term 'physical AI systems,' such as industrial robotics and autonomous vehicles. Per the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (June 2026), 5G-Advanced coverage has already reached 330 cities in mainland China, surpassing 10 million users. This massive infrastructure footprint provides the raw environment necessary for the Rohde & Schwarz and China Mobile testbed to validate how large language models perform across diverse, high-density urban signal profiles.