At the recent “4th Technology Week and Strategic Emerging Industry Co-creation and Development Conference” held by China Mobile, a significant breakthrough in the field of communications was achieved—China’s first fully independently designed “Bofen 8676” reconfigurable 5G RF chip was officially unveiled. This chip, a key component of 5G network core devices, marks a leap in China’s development of high-end RF chips, achieving a milestone from non-existence to reality.

The “Bofen 8676” RF chip is China’s first 5G RF chip based on a reconfigurable architecture, widely applicable for 5G cloud base stations, pico base stations, and home base stations. This achievement has significantly enhanced China’s capability for independent control of 5G network core equipment, filling a technological gap in the domestic market.

According to Li Nan, Vice Director of the Wireless and Terminal Technology Research Institute at China Mobile Research Institute, RF chips, as the core components of 5G base stations, are responsible for converting radio waves to digital signals and vice versa. They are known as the “pearls” of 5G base stations. The birth of this reconfigurable 5G RF chip signifies substantial progress in China’s high-end communication chip sector.

Compared to traditional RF chips, the “Bofen 8676” offers differentiated advantages such as low cost, low power consumption, and multifunctionality. Currently, this RF chip has been successfully integrated into the devices of multiple mainstream equipment manufacturers. In the future, this advanced RF chip will play a crucial role in the construction of cloud base stations, pico base stations, and other 5G network components, pushing 5G networks toward lower costs and higher control.

At the same conference, the “China Mobile Quantum Computing Application and Evaluation Laboratory” was officially established. This is the first industry-focused quantum computing laboratory by a state-owned enterprise, and it will focus on quantum computing algorithm research and performance evaluation. Notably, the research direction of this lab also includes exploring the potential applications of quantum computing in communication systems, potentially leading to collaborative innovations with RF chip technology.

The concurrent release of the “Research Report on Quantum Computing Applications in Communication Networks” and the “Fuyue” Quantum Cloud Platform further demonstrates China Mobile’s layout in frontier technologies. These results will work in conjunction with core technologies like 5G RF chips to build China’s independent and controllable communication technology system.

Yang Jie, Chairman of China Mobile, stated that the company will continue to serve national strategies and increase investment in the “six major fields,” including computing networks, artificial intelligence, and 6G. Especially in the area of communication chips, China Mobile will focus on enhancing its independent research and development capabilities for key components like RF chips and strengthening the security of the industry chain.

It is foreseeable that with the large-scale commercialization of domestically developed RF chips like the “Bofen 8676,” China’s 5G network construction will enter a new phase of more independent, secure, and efficient development.