5G Services: Balancing Mission‑Critical Performance with Sustainability, Affordability, and Security

Jaishun Tu of ZTE

5G is here, but it’s not as straightforward as it appears. While it opens doors to unprecedented connectivity, it also presents significant challenges.

In the aftermath of Mobile World Congress in Shanghai – the first major live telecoms event since the COVID‑induced lockdown – we sat down with Jaishun Tu from China‑based vendor ZTE to discuss 5G’s risks and rewards, spanning standalone networks, network efficiency, cybersecurity, and commercialization.

Why do standalone 5G networks offer operators better value than non‑standalone?

Jaishun Tu, ZTE: The 3GPP defines two phases of 5G: Non‑Standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA). NSA leverages 5G spectrum as an extension of the existing 4G core, primarily to deliver Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB). This delivers higher bandwidth, one of 5G’s most celebrated benefits.

SA, on the other hand, requires building a new cloud‑centric network that integrates AI and big‑data analytics, pushing 5G performance even further. It supports not only eMBB but also Ultra‑Reliable Low‑Latency Communications (uRLLC) and Massive Machine‑Type Communications (mMTC), enabling the Internet of Everything (IoE). uRLLC is critical for robotics, AGVs, sensors, and hospital consoles, while mMTC underpins large‑scale IoT deployments with low cost and power consumption.

In a factory setting, these capabilities let workers and smart devices access a safe, reliable, and economical network, paving the way for smart factories, hospitals, communities, and cities.

What problems are posed by vertical industry 5G applications? And what solutions do you offer?

ZTE: Vertical industries—such as office automation, robotic control, video monitoring, AGV navigation—demand independent networks with high reliability, low latency, and ample bandwidth. Building multiple physical private 5G networks is prohibitively expensive, even for large enterprises.

ZTE’s end‑to‑end network‑slicing solution, built on cloud, NFV/SDN, and 5G SA, creates multiple logical slices with distinct QoS profiles on a single physical network. This approach eliminates redundant infrastructure while meeting each application’s stringent requirements.

What has ZTE done to reduce 5G power consumption, and what results have you achieved?

ZTE: While a single 5G base station consumes 2.5–3.5 times the power of its 4G counterpart—largely due to the AAU—the vision of 5G is to boost energy efficiency, reducing transmission energy per bit by up to 100×. In practice, 5G’s higher traffic volume translates to roughly a 10× improvement in energy efficiency at full speed.

Key technologies driving this efficiency include ZTE’s award‑winning Massive MIMO. Traditional base stations broadcast a 120‑degree beam, wasting energy; Massive MIMO directs energy like a flashlight, achieving the same signal strength with up to 100× less power.

Another approach is to curtail idle network usage. Traffic fluctuates throughout the day, so shutting down base‑station components during low‑traffic periods saves significant energy. ZTE’s AI‑based PowerPilot analyzes historical data to route traffic to the most energy‑efficient layers, enabling partial shutdowns. PowerPilot is already deployed in over 20 commercial networks worldwide, covering more than 600,000 sites and saving operators an estimated US$1 billion (€0.84 billion) in electricity costs.

What strategies should providers and customers adopt to protect mission‑critical, data‑intensive 5G applications?

ZTE: As 5G unlocks new vertical opportunities, it also heightens security risks. High‑value assets in manufacturing, energy, transportation, and finance become prime targets.

Our 5G Software‑Defined Security Solution addresses these challenges. By dynamically generating security slices that adapt to each application’s needs, it satisfies regulatory mandates such as GDPR and caters to diverse scenarios—cars, AGVs, robots, sensors, etc.

• Security‑slicing orchestration: On‑demand creation of security services and adaptive policy enforcement.
• Carrier‑class resource pool: Distributed resources, forwarding acceleration, and N+M backup deliver elastic, high‑availability security.
• High‑throughput acceleration: Virtualised software/hardware acceleration ensures robust performance.
• Secure tunnel aggregation: A single VM can encrypt/decrypt at up to 100 Gbps; a single UE up to 1.4 Gbps, supporting ultra‑high‑rate 5G secure communications.

Which 5G use cases offer the fastest ROI for enterprises and telcos?

ZTE: 5G eMBB‑driven VR/AR, 4K/2K video, and multi‑view live broadcasts directly boost consumer traffic—and revenue—while long‑term digital transformation of vertical industries promises the most sustainable returns.

Interview with IoT Now, Jaishun Tu, ZTE.