PRESS RELEASE: Driven by the explosive growth of UE capability and data-intensive applications, mobile network operators are facing the big challenges of higher traffic demand. To accelerate the network, the  new technologies and spectrum are introduced and place heavy loads on infrastructure, especially sites. New RF modules for capacity expansion would occupy more space, bring high operation & maintenance costs, and keep driving up energy consumption. RF modules can account for more than 75% of entire site power consumption.

For operators lacking access to sufficient TDD NR spectrum, ZTE Mast-efficient FDD Radio Family for NR evolution well copes with the above challenges with three major advantages:

  1. Structural simplification: OmniUBR (Ultra Broadband Radio for three sectors) Series, industry’s leading 3-sector-in-1 

New generation chipset introduced and system architecture refined double the integration level. In the meantime, ZTE’s unique heat dissipation design realizes “chimney effect”, with airflow circulation speed increased by more than 20%, and heat dissipation sink thickness reduced by 20%. ZTE also introduced new modularized duplexer architecture: the old large duplexer is changed into smaller LEGO-like modules and is formed by multiple modules, reducing duplexer’s size and weight by 30%+.

Thanks to the above new technologies, ZTE launched industry’s unique tri-band tri-sector 6TR Ultra Broadband Radio for low bands (700MHz/800MHz/900MHz), and dual-band tri-sector 12TR Omni Ultra Broadband Radio for mid bands (1800MHz/2100MHz). For network modernization, only two radio modules can support a three-sector-site with the most widely-used five bands in the highly fragmented Sub-3GHz spectrum (reduction from previous 15 RRUs). The simplification, with 87% reduction of radio modules, greatly reduces site construction and tower rental costs, and becomes the simplest site solution in industry.

  1. Capacity maximization: High capacity oriented ultra-high power UBR and ultra-wide band FDD Massive MIMO

For 4G modernization and 5G anchoring, in traffic demanding scenarios, ZTE offers multiple choices of ultra-high power tri-band RRU series and industry’s largest capacity dual-band FDD Massive MIMO, all in mid bands. New generation chipset introduced doubles the computing power and output power compared to previous generation chips. In the meantime, DPD algorithm evolves to new CR-DPD (Cognitive Radio Digital Pre-Distortion) algorithm. Through breakthrough in DPD non-linear capability and environment adaptation, the system achieves 1.8 times improvement in output power.

With above new technologies, ZTE UBR with 4x180W output power, fulfills high-power co-construction and network sharing requirements for tri-band of 900M, 1800M and 2100MHz or 1800M, 2100M and 2600MHz, while FDD Massive MIMO improves 4G capacity by three to five times, brings higher revenue to operators without increasing the number of RF modules.

  1. Optimal energy efficiency: 40% power consumption reduction after modernization of legacy equipment.

With Super-N power amplifier, PA efficiency of the new-generation Ultra Broadband Radio platform is improved with a impressive mark, and overall site power consumption is reduced by 35%-40%, and brings 25% reduction in power and battery investment. Following the ETSI (European Telecommunication Standard Institute) model, ZTE FDD Radio Family helps a hexa-band tri-sector site save 50kHh+ per day, equivalent to 25 kg carbon emissions reduction per day savings.

Large-scale global deployments 

ZTE Mast-efficient FDD Radio Family for NR evolution, brings the industry’s most complete RF series products, with higher power, more frequency bands, and innovative multi-sector integration, and fulfills differentiated requirements of global operators. At present, the FDD Radio Family products have been deployed in more than ten operators worldwide, and more than ten projects are undergoing. In Europe, network modernization with new Ultra Broadband Radio helps operators reduce module numbers by 50% and reduces power consumption by 35%. In Asia, high-power 4T UBRs are deployed for large 4G capacity and high-power co-construction and network sharing scenarios. In Africa, tri-sector Omni UBR helps operators build the most cost-effective networks. In terms of FDD Massive MIMO, it has already been massively deployed in Asia, with an average network traffic gain of 20% and average single user speed gain of 110%. It’s estimated that there will be 25,000+ site modernization by the end of 2023.

ZTE FDD Radio Family for NR evolution, the most concise site solution in industry, showcases ZTE’s great commitment to building the simplest network with maximum network capacity and optimal energy efficiency, helps operators redefine site ecosystem, reserves site resources for new NR spectrum deployment now and in the future.