ZTE targets broader 4G network deployments

ZTE Corp will step up efforts next year to expand adoption of time-division long-term evolution (TD-LTE) technology - the high-speed 4G mobile standard backed by Beijing - with new network build-outs targeted on the mainland and in key international markets.

"We expect more TD-LTE networks to be launched," said ZTE vice-president Zhang Jianguo, who is also the company's chief technology officer for Asia-Pacific and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Shenzhen-based ZTE, the world's fifth-largest supplier of telecommunications equipment, has secured contracts for nine commercial TD-LTE networks and participated in 29 trial TD-LTE networks in 26 markets as of the end of September.

While ZTE has a leading 24 per cent share of equipment for the 4G network roll-out of China Mobile, Zhang said the company has also started exploratory talks about TD-LTE with China Unicom and China Telecom.

"We have conducted a few meetings to discuss the technical aspects of TD-LTE, not the business side," he said. "Whichever way those two operators go, ZTE is very confident because of our existing relationship with them."

ZTE has a 35 per cent share of 3G network equipment installed with China Telecom and 25 per cent with Unicom, the mainland's No2 carrier behind market leader China Mobile.