We attended the ZTE User Conference and Analyst Meeting in Milan, Italy, this week. The company is celebrating its 40th anniversary. On the first day, many customers presented and shared various insights about their operations; the operators’ insights primarily related to AI, 6G, and European mobile over-competition. On the second day, the company shared numerous innovations, most interestingly its “Pre-6G” GigaMIMO vision (China Mobile is a collaborator and trialing partner).
ZTE’s Pre-6G. In trials, the company has achieved throughputs of up to 100 Gbps, surpassing its 5G-era throughput metrics of approximately 10 Gbps. The company has conducted trials with China Mobile and claims to have introduced approximately 100 standards proposals. The company has explained that it has increased the number of antenna elements to 256 TR (a key metric related to its “GigaMIMO” product) and a new implementation of its power amplifiers (PAs) in a distributed architecture that is closer to the antenna (reducing losses).
Nearly every operator presenter discussed how AI will impact the telecom industry and its current applications, primarily for network automation. A theme amongst operators from Italy was how ‘brutal’ the competition is. Most presentations cited the upcoming 6G era but did not share specifics on how to capitalize on 6G.
- Windtre theme: European over-competition. The company stated that there are too many competitors in Italy and asked the audience how to address this issue. He explained that among his challenges is that it’s hard to dig and there are lots of electromagnetic rules. Continuing, he explained that telecom companies have different rules than non-telecom companies (which have more straightforward rules). He argues that the rules make competition too ‘brutal.’
- Fastweb / Vodafone Italy theme: Automation. The company’s view is that GPUs are overkill for RAN baseband today. It’s built Fastweb AI factory, an Italian language-based training, a sovereign cloud that employs a 7B parameter model.
- Turkcell theme: 6G in 5G infrastructure. The company’s ARPUs are not increasing in the 5G era. However, it thinks 6G will enable new services for verticals. The spokesperson said it should build 6G based on 5G infrastructure to reduce costs. The company said that satellite NTN has the potential to change the telecom industry.
- A1 Austria theme: Network modernization. The company still has ISDN customers and acknowledges that copper is a dead end.
- VEVO theme: Non-telecom services. The company has customers in regions such as Pakistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh, among others, and focuses on non-telecom services to generate revenue. Examples of non-telecom services include financial services, ride-hailing, and healthcare access. The company is employing a“4G for all” strategy, emphasizing connectivity instead of leading-edge technology.
- Alibaba theme: Year of Agentic AI. $50B AI investments.
- Tencent theme: SuperApps focus. SuperApps are reshaping industries. Also, pitched partnering with telcos to make country-specific AI services. Cited Orange’s use of Tencent AI in African and Middle East markets.
- Converge (Philippines) theme: Automation. Uses ZTE for PON ONT and OLT.
- Ooredoo theme: Business agility.
- Deutsche Glasfaser theme: Automation and monitoring. A rural fiber-optic provider that is focusing on ending the copper age.
- UMobile (Malaysia) theme: 5G upgrades. The company is doing 5G rollout now using ZTE RAN gear.
- EOLO (Italy) theme: Rural Italian FWA company. The company is reusing TV towers. Similar to other regions, the company explains that fiber is too expensive for rural deployments. It has used multiple types of FWA since its inception. The progression of its rollout: 5 GHz, then 26 GHz mmWave FDD, then 26 GHz TDD spectrum, with its most recent 5G offering enabling up to 1 Gbps.
Additionally, Zhao Houlin, former secretary general of ITU, presented on the theme of AI standardization. He pitched the idea that AI should be a standard worldwide, presumably for telecom. He cited differences between what US VP Vance stated in January 2025 are the U.S.’s goals and those of China, but was not specific. He also said he has not seen European operators and manufacturing keep up with technology changes since he took his 2015 job.