ZTE enables Telefónica’s first Pre5G Massive MIMO trial in Europe
7 December 2016, Madrid, Spain – ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, today announced that it has successfully completed Pre5G massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) live testing with Telefónica, one of the world’s largest operators. Taking place in Madrid, Spain, the trial is Telefónica’s first for Pre5G Massive MIMO in Europe.
In October 2016, ZTE and Telefónica started work on a Pre5G Massive MIMO programme at the Telefónica Headquarters in Madrid, to assess its performance in hotspot and indoor coverage scenarios. The performance of the Pre5G Massive MIMO base station exceeded expectations, improving both network capacity and cell-edge data rates up to 6 times compared to traditional long-term evolution (LTE) macro base stations, as well as reducing end-user interference through 3D-beamforming technology.
New applications were also demonstrated in the trial such as Virtual Reality and 2K streaming videos. All tests were based on existing 4G terminals, including ZTE’s and other iconic smartphones.
Enrique Blanco, CTO, Telefónica Group, says: “We are very pleased with the results of the Pre5G Massive MIMO live trial with our partner ZTE, a recognised industry pioneer in this field. We see a lot of potential for this technology and its capability to bring a better experience for our customers. We believe Pre5G massive MIMO technology can solve the Internet’s last mile problem by improving Internet access and therefore enhancing the user experience. Massive MIMO will be a fundamental technological enabler for future 5G networks.”
The Pre5G Massive MIMO trial completes the first phase of the 5G Memorandum of Understanding that both companies signed in June this year to enable greater opportunities for cooperation across different industries in areas with high potential, such as advanced wireless communications, Internet of things, network virtualization architectures and cloud.
ZTE’s Pre5G Massive MIMO base station was described as a “disruptive innovation” by the GSMA, winning the “Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough” and the “Outstanding Overall Mobile Technology – The CTO’s Choice 2016” awards at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in February 2016. The ZTE innovation was also honoured with the “Best Wireless Broadband Innovation” award at Broadband World Forum in London in October 2016.
About ZTE
ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices, and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, carriers, companies and public sector customers. As part of ZTE’s M-ICT strategy, the company is committed to provide customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as the telecommunications and information technology sectors converge. Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), ZTE’s products and services are sold to over 500 operators in more than 160 countries. ZTE commits 10 per cent of its annual revenue to research and development and has leadership roles in international standard-setting organizations. ZTE is committed to corporate social responsibility and is a member of the UN Global Compact. For more information, please visit www.zte.com.cn.
