PRESS RELEASE: ZTE Corporation has won the “Most Innovative RAN Product or Solution” award at the Leading Lights Awards 2024 for its ultra efficient UBR series.

This recognition  underscores ZTE’s significant efforts to promote sustainability in networks by enhancing site and energy efficiency in RAN network infrastructure, simplifying site deployment, and advancing performance through innovations in the UBR (Ultra Broadband Radio) series.

ZTE’s award-winning UBR series has achieved multiple differentiated innovations to address two key challenges in mobile network evolution: increasingly crowded site complexity and a high carbon footprint. To simplify RF modules, ZTE employs three methods – multi-sector integration, multi-band integration and multi-channel integration – to reduce RF modules and simplify site deployment, achieving peak performance in every aspect.

In the realm of multi-sector integration, tower site simplification is achieved through radio equipment technology that offers a three-sector, three-band all-in-one product, which enables CSPs to fully utilize the limited space found in radio sites. With the high output power and the highest level of integration, this deployment can result in up to 60% lower rental costs across the network. Regarding multi-band integration, ZTE’s UBR series supports a wide range of multi-band combinations, including the industry’s unique tri-band, four-band, and five-band UBR, significantly reducing the number of modules needed in multi-band scenarios. Regarding multi-channel integration, ZTE provides 8T/8R with 8 × 180W output power in three frequency bands to increase capacity.

Energy efficiency is achieved through several high-efficiency technologies. ZTE’s Super-N PA, a revolutionary power amplifier technology, reduces RRU power consumption by 35% compared to industry standards. RF pooling dynamically adjusts output power among sectors to ensure an optimal user experience with high radio efficiency, improving energy efficiency by up to 20% in terms of bit per watt. Additionally, the industry’s first hibernation feature and two-layer AI solutions save an extra 15% in power consumption.

Deploying high-efficiency UBRs is crucial for maximizing valuable tower space and enhancing capacity for 5G, while introducing new spectrum and NR, boosting overall capacity, improving user experience, and reducing power consumption.

“We are honored to receive this award. It is a recognition and encouragement for ZTE’s long-term dedication to technological innovation and driving the future network evolution,” said Li Xiaotong, Vice President of ZTE. “Our UBR solution has been applied perfectly to more than 20 CSPs that were modernizing 4G and rolling out 5G. The commercial results demonstrate that the UBR series has successfully addressed the crowded conditions in the existing installation space of towers and poles, and remarkably reduced site power consumption.”

Moving forward, ZTE will collaborate closely with more global partners to drive the creation of a greener, more efficient, and more sustainable network infrastructure through the implementation of UBR series, aligned with Net-Zero-Emission goals.