18 August 2025
China Mobile Pakistan (CMPak), operating under the brand Zong 4G, has become the first operator to commercially deploy ZPE’s advanced 8T8R ultra-broadband radio (UBR) and digital intelligent antenna (DIA) solution. This marks a significant milestone in enhancing network performance and deployment efficiency in Pakistan.
According to ZTE, the UBR solution provides 8x120W of power across the 1800-MHz and 2100-MHz bands within a single integrated remote radio unit (RRU), replacing multiple legacy RRUs typically used in traditional setups. This integration can save Zong up to 67% of RRUs per tower, significantly reducing deployment complexity, antenna space requirements, and overall equipment footprint.
The 8T8R UBR is paired with ZTE's DIA antenna, which supports software-defined beamforming. This allows for flexible configuration of either two 4T4R cells to support current 4G networks or a single 8T8R cell for 5G operations. The combined solution has already demonstrated notable performance improvements, including a capacity increase of 34% for everyday usage and an impressive 83% during peak hours, thereby enhancing the user experience.
ZTE also highlighted ongoing efforts to develop cost-efficient deployment strategies. In scenarios where space and power are constrained, new sites are planned to feature one 4T4R cell alongside two 2T2R cells, enabling scalable and flexible network expansion.
This announcement follows a recent ZTE deployment in Pakistan, where the company supplied its UBR and massive MIMO equipment to operator Jazz in July. That deployment utilised different power configurations — 2×80W at 900 MHz and 4×140W at 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz — highlighting ZTE’s continued efforts to tailor solutions to diverse network needs across the region.
