27 November 2020

In a first for the company, ZTE Corporation has introduced its first 5G wireless router in South Africa, in collaboration with MTN Group which began 5G services earlier this year.

ZTE, a Chinese company, says 5G Indoor CPE MC801A supports Wi-Fi 6, allowing multiple users to access the network at the same time.

It says that the use of its “Smart ANT” algorithm allows the unit independently select the best signals.  It supports both NSA and SA 5G networks and is compatible with mainstream 4G and 5G standards and won a design award last year.

The MC801A is configurable from any web browser or an app.  It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 chipset, has connections for two external antennas and is supplied with an ethernet cable and power adaptor.  It measures 182x124x70mm and weighs 632g.

ZTE says that the new unit offers high speed – up to 10 times faster than 4G and fibre networks -- low latency, wide coverage and accessibility.  In addition, it says it accelerates the application of 5G technologies in the fields of the Internet of Vehicles, smart grid, intelligent manufacturing, and the Internet of Things (IoT). 

In 5G services in South Africa, MTN is in competition with Vodacom and Rain.

zte.com