China Unicom, ZTE complete 5G call during field trial

ZTE has announced it has completed the first 5G call using its 5G prototype smartphone during a field trial in Shenzhen.

The trial, conducted in collabration with China Unicom, involved placing a 3GPP Release 15 compliant non-standalone test call using a commercial candidate device.

The trial used ZTE's 5G end-to-end solution, including radio access network, core network, transport network and prototype smart device.

In addition to demonstrating a 5G call, the test verified key 5G technologies including Massive MIMO, 5G new radio, non-standalone dual connectivity and 5G common core architecture.

“ZTE’s 5G solution has passed the end-to-end test in the three months after the release of the 3GPP Rel-15,” the vendor said in a statement.

“It showcases ZTE’s strong competency in 5G R&D and commercialization, demonstrating ZTE’s role as a reliable partner to global 5G operators and a key player in the 5G industry.”