MTR is upgrading station 5G mobile networks to use the so-called “golden spectrum”, with the first phase covering 24 stations and expected to be completed by early next year. Twenty stations have already been upgraded, while work is continuing at the remaining four.
The first-phase project has been under way since 2024 and adds the 3.3GHz and 3.5GHz bands to the 5G network. MTR says the upgraded service is intended to provide full coverage, higher speeds, greater capacity and lower latency.
The four stations still under construction are Mei Foo, Lam Tin, Tiu Keng Leng and Tsing Yi. They are expected to be completed by early next year, according to MTR and the supplied reporting.
Once the first phase is complete, MTR plans to begin a second phase covering East Tsim Sha Tsui, Austin and Lok Ma Chau stations, as well as the connecting train journeys. No start or completion date has been given for that phase.
Separately, MTR is working with local mobile network operators on 5G and virtual reality digital advertising experiences at eight stations from September to October 2026. The stations are Central, Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui, Causeway Bay, Austin, Exhibition Centre, Kowloon Tong and Kai Tak.
The experiences include sports such as fencing and a journey through nostalgic Hong Kong. The “MTR Advertising VR Experience Centre” will showcase station advertisements from the 1990s to the present, including changes from print advertising and three-dimensional elements to more recent artificial intelligence technology. The reports did not identify the participating operators or provide detailed construction arrangements or information on any effect on passenger services.