A primary school student watches the dragon boat race with VR glasses connected to a 5G network in Nantong on May 24.[Photo/yangtse.com]

A 5G live broadcast of the dragon boat race at the Haohe River scenic spot in Nantong on May 24 [Photo/yangtse.com]

The 10th China Mobile Nantong dragon boat race kicked off at the Haohe River scenic spot in Nantong, East China’s Jiangsu province, on May 24.

A live 5G broadcast covered the event, allowing audiences to watch the game on their mobile phones, or on a huge screen or with VR glasses in the 5G experience area.

“It's amazing. I feel like I'm on the boat,” said a primary school student who watched the game through a VR device.

According to organizers, several 360-degree panoramic cameras connected to a 5G network were installed at the scenic spot and on cruise ships to cover the game.

The technology will also be used during the 2019 China Forest Tour Festival held in Nantong in October, allowing tourists to watch live broadcasts of Haohe River and Langshan Mountain.

According to China Mobile Nantong employees, the company will first install 5G networks in three types of public areas, namely transport hubs such as airports and railway stations, commercial areas such as Nandajie (South Street), and major scenic spots such as Haohe River.

Trial operations for 5G networks will begin in Nantong this year, with large-scale commercial adoption expected to be possible in 2020.