ZTE 5G Accelerates Deployment and Optimization of Next-Gen Networks Through Full-Scenario RAN

ZTE 5G continues to demonstrate its significant role in the telecommunications industry with the unveiling of its latest radio access network (RAN) solutions at MWC Shanghai 2025. Through a comprehensive Full-Scenario RAN architecture, ZTE Corporation presented advanced technologies aimed at supporting global operators in building and optimizing 5G networks. These include multi-band deployment strategies, intelligent site simplification, and AI-powered management systems. ZTE’s latest innovations are developed to improve capacity, energy efficiency, and operational scalability across diverse deployment environments.

Full-Band Deployment: Efficient Use of Site Resources

To meet the growing demands for high-capacity 5G coverage, ZTE is helping operators address core challenges such as fragmented spectrum, tower constraints, and rising operational costs.

Site Simplification with UBR Technology

ZTE introduced its UBR pioneer solutions, engineered to simplify deployment through multi-sector, multi-band, and multi-channel integration. The tri-sector Omni-UBR supports modernization across five FDD bands using only two radio units. This consolidation reduces space occupation and equipment costs without compromising performance.

The industry’s first 6-band UBR solution extends coverage to all Sub-3GHz spectrum bands using a single unit. This innovation is critical for operators managing dense urban or suburban deployments. ZTE also presented the tri-band 8T8R UBR, offering the highest output power in its class to support growing data traffic and improve coverage reliability in challenging locations.

Check Out: SIP Trunking for Business: Cutting Costs and Boosting Communication Efficiency

M-MIMO to Increase Capacity and Efficiency

ZTE’s M-MIMO portfolio focuses on increasing spectrum efficiency. Its dual-band M-MIMO unit supports both FDD and TDD modes, enabling flexible deployment in networks evolving toward 5G. The FDD tri-band M-MIMO delivers the highest output power available, making it ideal for ultra-high traffic areas such as stadiums, financial hubs, or commercial zones.

An innovative single-sector 6-beam solution further improves performance through adaptive beam adjustment. Supported by site-level AI features, it enables multi-dimensional evaluation across time, frequency, and space, achieving a 20% increase in network capacity compared to conventional configurations.

Advanced User Experience Across Use Scenarios

With 5G applications extending into AI terminals, autonomous vehicles, and immersive environments, the demand for uplink and downlink capacity is growing rapidly. ZTE 5G solutions target these bandwidth-intensive scenarios with new techniques and hardware.

Uplink Aggregation for High-Bandwidth Applications

At MWC Shanghai 2025, ZTE demonstrated its uplink 3-carrier aggregation (3CC CA) in partnership with China Mobile. Using mid-band commercial spectrum, the solution achieved uplink speeds exceeding 865 Mbps. This capacity supports emerging use cases that require real-time feedback and large data uploads, such as remote sensing, video streaming from mobile devices, and smart surveillance.

Indoor Millimeter-Wave Solutions for High-Traffic Venues

ZTE’s MiCell millimeter-wave indoor coverage solution addresses high-capacity venues, including railway stations, stadiums, and specialized environments like VR gaming hubs or mobile production studios. Each cell delivers over 6 Gbps downlink and more than 2 Gbps uplink per user, supporting multiple concurrent sessions with low latency and high throughput.

Expanding Reach in Weak-Coverage Areas

ZTE’s qNCR (Network Controlled Repeater) extends 4G and 5G coverage in areas traditionally difficult to reach with standard infrastructure. A single qNCR unit can serve multiple elevators or cover up to 5,500 square meters of underground space without requiring BBU, RRU, or fiber. This solution is already deployed across China, helping address signal blind spots in residential and commercial environments.

AI Convergence in RAN Infrastructure

ZTE is embedding AI into the core of its network architecture. This strategic direction supports the shift toward intelligent operations that balance performance with energy and operational efficiency.

AIREngine and Native-AI Base Stations

At the heart of this transformation is the AIREngine, a BBU-embedded computing board that enables native AI integration into the RAN layer. It serves as the control center for advanced features, including intelligent traffic analysis, predictive maintenance, and adaptive resource orchestration.

Through deep integration with digital upgrades across antenna, transmission, and power systems, legacy networks can be reconfigured into intelligent infrastructure. This allows operators to react faster to demand fluctuations, manage energy use, and maintain consistent service quality.

Smart Beam-Tracking and Fronthaul Monitoring

For antenna systems, ZTE introduced the Smart Beam-Tracking Unit. This unit supports real-time topology visualization, sensing functions, and dynamic beam adjustment to maintain optimal coverage. This capability plays a key role in reducing operating costs by improving the precision of resource allocation.

In transmission systems, the use of OTDR SFP transceiver modules allows real-time monitoring of fronthaul fiber links. This enables operators to quickly identify and isolate faults, significantly reducing downtime and maintenance effort.

Energy Efficiency with Green Site Digital Units

To address energy consumption concerns, ZTE showcased its green Site Digital Units (gSDUs). These systems support controlled shutdown of RF units during off-peak periods and enable intelligent wake-up when needed. The result is “Zero Bit, Zero Watt” operation during low-traffic hours, improving sustainability without sacrificing performance.

AI Service Agents for Network Optimization

ZTE is extending the use of AI beyond infrastructure into real-time service optimization. Network AI service agents operate at the base station level and provide several key functions:

• Intelligent Service Identification: AI analyzes user traffic patterns and applications in use.
• Deep Learning-Based Analytics: Performance metrics are interpreted in real time for decision-making support.
• Granular Resource Orchestration: Allocation of spectrum and compute resources is aligned with service priorities to maintain quality.

These capabilities allow network operators to continuously adapt to user behavior, streamline O&M tasks, and enhance the overall experience with minimal manual input.

ZTE 5G: Industry Vision and Commitment

Li Xiaotong, Vice President of ZTE, stated during the event, “Advanced 5G networks serve as the engine for digital economy. ZTE is dedicated to strengthening partnerships with global operators and ecosystem collaborators to develop mobile networks with streamlined full-band sites, premium experiences across all scenarios, and deep AI convergence, laying a robust foundation for a digital and intelligent future.”

This vision aligns with ZTE 5G’s long-term strategy to build scalable infrastructure that supports the next phase of global digitalization. The focus remains on practical implementations that improve spectral efficiency, reduce operating costs, and support new service models.

Summing Up

As 5G matures, operators face growing pressure to improve network performance, energy management, and user experience while staying agile in deployment. ZTE’s Full-Scenario RAN solutions provide a comprehensive approach to meet these needs. From intelligent site design and multi-band M-MIMO to AI-integrated control and service optimization, ZTE 5G is positioned to support both present challenges and future demands.

With its innovations presented at MWC Shanghai 2025, ZTE has confirmed its role as a strategic enabler of intelligent connectivity. The company continues to work closely with telecom partners to shape next-generation networks that are efficient, scalable, and prepared for the demands of AI-driven services.