Zong, Pakistan’s No.1 data network, and ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a global leading provider of integrated information and communication technology solutions, have announced a strategic collaboration to deploy ZTE’s AIR RAN (AI Reshaped RAN) solution. Featuring the industry’s first native-AI BBU and the intelligent big data platform VMAX, this initiative represents a critical step toward the country’s first autonomous network.
Zong and ZTE introduce AIR RAN Solution with Industry’s First Native-AI BBU
Today, the surge in data-intensive services like short video, social media and immersive services has placed unprecedented strain on existing networks. Users of these platforms are highly sensitive to performance issues, with long buffering times for videos and high latency for online gaming leading to significant frustration and dissatisfaction.
To address these challenges, operators face the critical task of building intelligent RANs capable of dynamically meeting diverse service demands while ensuring optimal user experiences. This is where AI integration becomes a powerful solution. Mobile networks are inherently wide-area and distributed—an architecture that pairs well with AI services. As AI matures, operators are using it to enhance wireless network operations, achieving notable gains in user experience, energy efficiency, and O&M efficiency, and to enable new application scenarios. Zong and ZTE’s partnership in Pakistan is a perfect example of this transformative approach.
This Partnership is a Stepping Stone for Pakistan’s First Autonomous Network, Setting a New Benchmark for Intelligent Connectivity
ZTE’s AIR RAN solution leverages AI to optimize user experience, energy efficiency, and O&M efficiency. It enables operators to intelligently identify user scenarios and dynamically optimize network strategies. This ensures smoother delivery of premium services, such as video streaming and gaming platform memberships, enhancing user satisfaction and loyalty. The solution also reduces RAN energy consumption through smart scheduling. In complex O&M efficiency scenarios, it increases field test efficiency to save time and labor costs. At the same time, AI powers fault tracing and security analysis, improving data processing efficiency and response time for stable, reliable networks.
Initial field tests conducted by Zong and ZTE demonstrated the measurable impact of this technology. Sites equipped with ZTE’s native-AI BBU showed a significant performance boost, with an average cell downlink throughput improving by up to 8.2% and site traffic increasing by up to 9.1%.
By deploying ZTE’s AIR RAN solution, which features the industry’s first native-AI BBU and the intelligent big data platform VMAX, the partnership is not only driving technological innovation but also paving the way for new business models and market opportunities.
The deep integration of AI and RAN technologies is a shared commitment by Zong and ZTE to create greener, more efficient, and more differentiated mobile services. By leveraging the AIR RAN solution and the intelligent big data platform VMAX, their ongoing innovation is set to deliver Pakistan’s first autonomous network, cementing their leadership in the future of intelligent connectivity.