ZTE’s Leading Role in 5G RedCap Verification: Innovating with AIS and MediaTek for 5G Excellence

ZTE Corporation 5G Information
4 min readOct 25, 2023

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In today’s technology and 5G environment, there are many exciting developments that are leading us towards a promising future. One notable advancement is the ZTE 5G RedCap technology, which is a highly innovative solution designed to simplify terminal complexity and leverage the inherent capabilities of 5G. With features such as network slicing and ample bandwidth, this technology enables an affordable cellular IoT solution. To drive the adoption of this technology and propel the 5G initiatives in Southeast Asia, AIS, ZTE, and MediaTek have been engaging in extensive collaboration during the testing phase.

ZTE 5G RedCap Technology: A Glimpse into the Future

RedCap is a relatively recent technology that stands for Reduced Capability. It’s also known as NR Light. The purpose of this technology is to advance 5G networks further. It’s part of the 3GPP R17 standard and could only be created once improvements were made to 3GPP Release 17.

RedCap provides IoT devices with the ability to use reduced capabilities to connect to the internet through 5G networks properly. All RedCap devices are low cost, use less power, accommodate low latency, and have larger bandwidth than traditional 5G smartphones. However, remember that they don’t require the extensive capabilities provided via the 5G New Radio (NR) standard.

Numerous devices utilize 5G RedCap technology, which include health wearables, surveillance devices, and wireless sensors. Every RedCap application comes with its own requirements for service availability, max data rate, and end-to-end latency.

The costs associated with RedCap devices are also kept to a minimum with the use of half-duplex frequency division duplex (FDD). The use of FDD ensures that the device doesn’t receive or transmit data on multiple frequencies at the same time, which means that the devices are able to use affordable switches as opposed to costly duplexers.

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ZTE 5G RedCap Verification: A Collaborative Success

The 5G RedCap technology was verified and validated with close collaboration between ZTE, MediaTek, and AIS. This technology underwent comprehensive testing to ensure it functioned correctly and worked as intended. All tests were performed at the AZ Innovation Center, which is located in Bangkok. The primary tests that were conducted include:

  • Network access
  • Mobility
  • Voice services

These tests were performed under the 5G spectrum TDD 2.6GHz, which AIS maintains. The mobility tests aimed to ensure that the RedCap technology can provide users with smooth communication experiences across all devices. The first call for VoNR services was able to validate the RedCap technology by confirming that the technology provides users with much clearer and more natural experiences when making calls.

During the throughput test, they were able to consistently obtain theoretical peak values, which indicated that the technology was functioning properly and meeting the necessary quality that ZTE, AIS, and MediaTek were looking for. They also identified that the downlink rate that a single user had on the TDD network can reach as high as 163Mbps when using 20MHz of bandwidth.

ZTE’s NodeEngine solution has also been essential in creating and validating the RedCap technology. This solution is the only computing power base station in the industry. It can provide RedCap users with end-to-end low latency that’s around 10ms.

Different MediaTek’s future RedCap platforms were tested alongside ZTE’s wireless systems available for AIS 5G commercial spectrum. This compatibility was verified, which was the final testing necessary to allow RedCap deployment across the commercial 5G network.

ZTE 5G Tripartite Collaboration: Shaping the Future of Communication

As previously mentioned, AIS, ZTE, and MediaTek played their parts in collaborating while creating the 5G RedCap technology. Each party contributed significantly during development and testing to ensure the technology would be viable once introduced to the market. Their combined efforts resulted in the successful testing of RedCap technology.

AIS is a top mobile operator in Southeast Asia. During testing, they contributed a considerable amount of network resources. As for ZTE, they are a leading communication solutions provider that delivers an end-to-end testing environment. If this environment weren’t in place, they wouldn’t have been able to conduct such rigorous testing.

When it comes to MediaTek, they are the largest smartphone chipset supplier in the world. For the various tests, MediaTek supplied the RedCap platform. By collaborating during these stages, these three parties were able to reach success and excellent results at the technical level while also creating a strong foundation for further cooperation in the 5G industry.

ZTE 5G RedCap: Outlook and Future Prospects

The successful testing of RedCap technology has clear implications on the global development of ZTE 5G technology. By validating new breakthroughs, it’s easier to identify new opportunities for growth and future success. The collaboration between MediaTek, AIS, and ZTE Corporation is more than just validating the latest innovative technology. It also provides the world with a notable example of broad international cooperation with regard to the communication industry.

The testing has provided a fantastic foundation for using RedCap technology throughout Thailand while creating new paths for developing new 5G technology globally. In the years to come, the three parties mentioned above will deepen their collaborative efforts by developing and exploring additional innovative applications. The reason for this collaboration is to provide users with more efficient, intelligent, and convenient communication experiences.

ZTE aims to help connect the world by performing continuous innovation. They strive to accommodate integrated solutions and innovative technologies wherever possible. Their portfolio covers wireline, professional, and wireless telecommunications services. Currently, they serve more than a quarter of the world’s population.

Conclusion

The latest ZTE 5G RedCap technology promotes improved power consumption for IoT devices, which ensures that the batteries within these devices will last longer. The technology should become widely adopted across Thailand and beyond in the coming months and years. Now that RedCap has been successfully tested, this technology can be used at 2.6Ghz and is ready for more commercial applications.

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ZTE Corporation 5G Information
ZTE Corporation 5G Information

Written by ZTE Corporation 5G Information

The news about ZTE’s 5G solutions such as 5G Messaging, 5G Security, and 5G Technology.