China Mobile and ZTE successfully implement MEC indoor positioning trial within an accuracy of 5 meters

15 May 2017, Shenzhen, China – 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 implemented a Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) indoor high-precision positioning trial based on the QCell indoor solution in the Wanda Shopping Plaza with China Mobile Beijing.

The innovative MEC positioning solution implements the deep coverage of 4G network signals rapidly and flexibly through a QCell solution. ZTE’s open MEC platform provides localised, low-latency, and high-bandwidth services at locations closer to users. Open application programming interfaces (APIs) are also provided to transmit various third-party applications and content through network pipes, so that the diverse service requirements of indoor users can be met and the value of network pipes increased.

The MEC positioning pilot was deployed at the Wanda Shopping Plaza situated in Beijing. Collected data showed that the positioning accuracy of 90 percent of tested areas was within five meters. The precise indoor navigation and user track services were also demonstrated in the centre. The MEC positioning solution allows carriers to offer precise indoor navigation that helps customers quickly find destinations, enhancing shopping experience and efficiency. The value analysis of target customers is also provided for sellers in accordance with the user-related heat map. In this way, sellers can push the advertisements of new goods, red envelopes of data volume, and shopping vouchers to attract high-value customers and implement data monetisation.

Traditional telecommunications networks currently act mainly as data transport pipes, and have the disadvantage of being insensitive to business needs. The service-oriented MEC positioning solution is then launched to provide flexible services for third parties through network capability openness, which enhances the flexibility of traditional telecommunications networks. This solution also effectively combines carriers' pipe capabilities with applications, guaranteeing service innovation and similarly benefiting customers and carriers, as well as sellers.

Mr. Zhang Shizhuang, Director of the time division duplex (TDD) Product Team of ZTE Corporation, said,

"The Beijing Mobile pilot is ZTE's first MEC indoor high-precision positioning trial across China and plays a tremendous demonstration role."

To embrace dramatically changing mobile broadband services, ZTE is developing new MEC solutions involving NarrowBand IoT (NB-IoT) and enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), as well as big video services, by cooperating with carriers. The MEC solutions implement the applications of 5G technologies in 4G networks as well as service transformation ahead of time. Moreover, these solutions promote the integration of 4G and 5G networks by taking into account 5G evolution requirements and also strengthen the support for network slice technology.

As the world's leading provider of wireless communications solutions, ZTE has been focusing on the core demands of mobile operators for the next three to five years and is the first introducing Pre5G Solution in the industry. ZTE’s Pre5G applies the commercial-ready 5G core technology in 4G networks to help operators achieve 4G to 5G smooth evolution, substantially enhancing network performance and user experience, implementing business model and business innovation. ZTE’s Pre5G has been highly recognized in the industry. In 2016, Pre5G products and solutions had been deployed in more than 40 networks in 30 countries, including China, Japan, Austria, Singapore, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.