Mobile network carriers emerged as the main beneficiaries at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, where they gained the ability to charge extra for 5G features promised years ago. Discussions highlighted network slicing trials by operators including Bharti Airtel and China Mobile. These developments raise questions about equal internet access.
Vivek Badrinath, director-general of the GSMA, described the shift during opening keynotes. “The next wave is about supporting intelligent physical systems operating at scale in the real world. 5G allows [us] to introduce AI-enhanced capabilities that enable networks to sense, to predict and to optimise in real time,” he said.
A Huawei representative noted that upper 6 GHz spectrum now delivers peak rates of 11Gbps. The company cited an April humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing where robots used dedicated network slices without affecting other users.
Bharti Airtel recently launched its “Priority Postpaid” service in India, reserving slices for premium customers. Digital rights groups warned that such practices create a two-tier internet, while operators described them as neutral by user class rather than content.
South Africa lacks strict net neutrality rules that would guarantee uniform service quality.