At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2025, ZTE Corporation secured two GSMA GLOMO Awards for different solutions in the field of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology.
In collaboration with China Unicom and YunHuan Technology, ZTE won the “Best Mobile Innovation for Cities” award for its groundbreaking 5G-A Smart City Low-Altitude Blood Delivery project. Additionally, ZTE was honored with the “GSMA Foundry Innovation Award” for its Minimalist Private 5G-A solution, which is revolutionizing digital transformation in the media and entertainment sectors.
5G-A Smart City Low-Altitude Blood Delivery
ZTE, along with China Unicom and YunHuan Technology, pioneered a 5G-A-powered drone-based blood delivery network in Anyang City to address the challenges of urban traffic congestion and delayed emergency response times. The project spans 1,200 square kilometers, with 10 delivery routes covering over 15 kilometers and serving multiple hospitals across the city. More than 50 flights operate daily, making it the largest low-altitude drone delivery network for medical supplies in the industry.
According to operational data, the initiative has significantly improved medical logistics efficiency, reducing blood delivery times from 40 minutes to just 15 minutes—a 60% increase in efficiency. The improved responsiveness has optimized surgery scheduling, reduced blood wastage, and resulted in a 20% decrease in hospital blood costs and a 10% reduction in patient blood expenses, according to ZTE.
The solution leverages 5G-A Integrated Sensing and Communication technology, ensuring comprehensive communication support and precise safety monitoring for drone operations. Network performance tests confirm the system’s ability to monitor multiple drones simultaneously with a zero detection miss rate, underscoring the commercial potential of 5G-A technology in low-altitude urban applications.
Looking ahead, ZTE and its partners aim to expand the use of 5G-A in urban management and emergency response.
Minimalist Private 5G-A: Transforming Media and Entertainment
ZTE’s Minimalist Private 5G-A solution, is redefining the landscape of media, entertainment, and immersive experiences. The solution enables free-roam VR in large-space theaters and gaming arenas, as well as wireless 4K production and broadcasting for new media and television.
The Minimalist Private 5G-A solution brings unparalleled mobility, capacity, sustainability, and data security, eliminating traditional constraints such as heavy backpacks for VR users or cumbersome cables for broadcasters. In the location-based VR (LBE) entertainment industry, the solution allows providers to scale their businesses efficiently, offering high-quality virtual experiences without sacrificing user comfort. Similarly, for professional broadcasters, this technology removes the dangers and limitations of long cables, enabling more dynamic and immersive live content creation.
Since October 2024, ZTE’s Minimalist Private 5G-A solution has been deployed in multiple LBE VR entertainment centers across China, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction with its exceptional visual quality and seamless user experience. The technology is also contributing to major live events. ZTE collaborated with China Central Television (CCTV) for the 2024 Chinese New Year Gala, which had over 700 million viewers, delivering an immersive broadcast experience. Additionally, ZTE partnered with CelcomDigi and U Mobile to support RTM (Radio Televisyen Malaysia) in broadcasting the 2024 Sukma Games, Malaysia’s largest national sporting event.
