ZTE releases world's first pre5G FDD massive MIMO solution, verified by joint field tests with China Unicom

30 December 2016, Shenzhen, China – ZTE Corporation officially released the world’s first FDD-LTE Massive MIMO solution today, following successful verification through joint field tests in Quanzhou Innovation Centre of China Unicom Fujian Branch. This FDD-LTE Massive MIMO solution, a result of ZTE’s ceaseless efforts in Pre5G TDD Massive MIMO and innovation, successfully introduces Massive MIMO to FDD-LTE networks, making it applicable to over 85% of global LTE networks. This Pre5G solution enhances the commercial value of Massive MIMO and enables operators to multiply their network capacity using their current spectrum resources.

The field tests have verified that the Pre5G FDD Massive MIMO solution is capable of enhancing the cell throughput by over three times using current spectrum. ZTE has already introduced Massive MIMO, one of the key 5G network technologies, to 4G networks to function as the core technology of its Pre5G solution. As a benchmark in ZTE’s Pre5G solutions, the FDD Massive MIMO solution is compatible with the existing terminals, which benefits operators greatly in their marketing progress by accelerating network speeds using existing spectrum. Users can enjoy the ultrafast broadband service without changing their terminals.

ZTE took the lead in releasing TDD Massive MIMO products in as early as 2014. At MWC 2016, ZTE Massive MIMO won two awards – “2016 MWC Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough” and “Outstanding overall Mobile Technology – The CTO’s Choice”. The FDD Massive MIMO has built on the advantages seen in TDD and made breakthroughs in FDD to achieve high-efficiency space division. Compared with other measures to enhance the network capacity and user experience, the FDD Massive MIMO, which does not place extra requirements for operator’s spectrum resources and is independent of terminal capability, is a more powerful engine to accelerate the new-generation network speed.

At the moment, ZTE is under negotiation with several important domestic and overseas operators regarding the cooperation in FDD Massive MIMO. The commercial deployment of FDD Massive MIMO is expected in 2017.