ZTE Corporation hosted its "5G-Advanced Innovation and New Product Release Conference" at MWC Barcelona 2024.
Demonstrating ZTE's panoramic planning and futuristic innovations for the 5G-A era, the company also released 10 stunning new 5G-A products, fully prepared for 5G-A commercial use. China's three major telecom operators and industry partners also participated in the conference.
Zhang Wanchun, Senior Vice President at ZTE, pointed out in his opening keynote speech that the unveiling of 5G-Advanced technologies is an exciting milestone for the possibility and potential of future communication technology development. 5G-Advanced represents more than the evolution of 5G to 6G in speed and connectivity; it signals a paradigm shift in the way people live, work and play. He called on the industry to join hands and work together for a smarter and more connected intelligent world.
New Horizon of 5G-Advanced
Additionally, Li Xiaotong, Vice President at ZTE, General Manager of RAN products, delivered a speech entitled ‘New Horizon of 5G-Advanced,’ and shared ZTE's understanding, planning and achievements of 5G-A. "5G-A is consistent with the evolutionary direction of 5G-A and 6G in the industry, which is an enhancement of 5G and a connection to 6G. 5G-A will enhance its capabilities in three major 5G scenarios— eMBB, mMTC and uRLLC— and will open up three major scenarios, including integrated sensing and communication, universal intelligence and ubiquitous connectivity," said Li Xiaotong.
"Through the six-dimensional scenarios' enhancement and expansion, 5G-A will continuously realize the infinite value of B2C digital life, B2B digital industry and B2X digital society. ZTE has implemented several 5G-A use cases in different domains, demonstrating the exciting prospect of 5G-A."
Li Xiaotong, Vice President at ZTE
ZTE's New Products Family
During the product release event, ZTE unveiled 10 innovative products incorporating three categories— simple, highly-efficient UBR and FDD M-MIMO products, mmWave products, and a NTN ground base station to extend 5G-A scenarios. As well as a series of products with integrated communication and computing for rich B2C, B2B applications.
ZTE's 5G-A New Product Family
Unique Insights on 5G-A
At the conference, representatives of China's three major operators also shared their practical experience and unique insights into 5G-A.
Cao Lei, Deputy Director of Wireless and Terminal Technology, China Mobile Research Institute, delivered a comprehensive speech entitled ‘5G-A Promotes the Prosperity of Low-Altitude Economy,’ which systematically outlined the growth trends of the low-altitude economy, the business scenarios it encompassed and the key role of 5G-A in strengthening this sector.
Cao Lei said that the low-altitude economy has become a new track for global economic development, covering express logistics, emergency rescue, environmental monitoring, agriculture, forestry and plant protection, consumer entertainment and many other fields. As 5G-A encounters new pathways, it stimulates unlimited opportunities.
China Mobile actively cooperates with the industry to conduct research on low-altitude intelligent network technology based on 5G-A. It also takes the lead in formulating technical standards such as UAV terminal capability identification. Furthermore, it proposes a low-altitude networking technology system for all scenarios. Additionally, it innovatively proposes key technologies (such as terminal-based interference control) in response to the prominent problems of high interference and frequent handovers in low-altitude scenarios.
Cao Lei, Deputy Director of Wireless and Terminal Technology Research Institute, China Mobile Research Institute
Fan Bin, Director of the Wireless Network of China Unicom, pointed out that China Unicom has built up the world's largest co-constructed and shared 5G network, and made significant achievements in 5G industrial applications. By upgrading network capabilities, 5G applications in vertical industries are moving from non-critical production to critical production. 5G-A with high deterministic capability is one of the best choices to meet the requirements of mobility, easy to wear and tear, massive connectivity, and frequent adjustment. China Unicom, together with ZTE and leading enterprises in the industry, has conducted multiple commercial practices of 5G-A applications within critical production domains, such as 5G-A + cloud-based PLC application in WuHu Midea Kitchen & Bath Appliances Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and 5G-A + industrial control application in Wuhan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd.
Fan Bin, Director of the Wireless Network of China Unicom
Yao Wei, Director of China Telecom Research Institute of Mobile and Terminal Technology, presented the significant advancements achieved by China Telecom in deterministic networking. Furthermore, based on their experience in digital transformation practices within the industry, he discussed the future direction of wireless network development. Yao Wei emphasized that establishing deterministic networking capacity is crucial for industry applications to penetrate critical production processes effectively. In collaboration with ZTE, China Telecom aims to continue driving technological innovation, while empowering the new development of industries.
Yao Wei, Director of China Telecom Research Institute of Mobile and Terminal Technology
5G-A is set to penetrate large-scale construction and accelerate commercial use. ZTE will work with all sectors of the industry to jointly promote the continuous iteration and commercial practice of 5G-A technology and drive the continuous and in-depth development of global digital and intelligent transformation.
