ZTE AI reached a major milestone with the successful commercial deployment of AIR RAN during Big Mountain Music Festival #15 in Thailand. The deployment was completed with AIS during the December 6–7, 2025, event and was announced on January 19, 2026. This project showed how ZTE AI can transform 5G networks from data-focused delivery to experience-based value creation. It also proved that AI-driven radio access networks can perform reliably under extreme congestion at large-scale events.
Big Mountain Music Festival is the largest outdoor music festival in Thailand. Tens of thousands of attendees gather in a limited area. This creates sharp traffic surges and complex service demands. The event provided a real-world environment to test advanced 5G and AI integration under pressure.
Challenge of Extreme Network Congestion
Large music festivals push mobile networks to their limits. At BMMF#15, network load levels far exceeded normal conditions. Downlink PRB utilization stayed above 80 percent, while uplink PRB usage exceeded 60 percent. These figures are much higher than typical daily network loads.
In such scenarios, traditional experience assurance methods face serious challenges. Video streaming often suffers from buffering. Instant messaging can be delayed or interrupted. Users expect to upload videos, share photos, and communicate in real time. Any delay can quickly reduce satisfaction.
ZTE AI addressed these challenges by introducing a new approach. Instead of managing traffic only by volume, the solution focused on user experience value. This shift allowed the network to respond dynamically to real user needs in real time.
ZTE AI and AIR RAN Experience Monetization
AIR RAN is a key innovation in the integration of 5G and AI. The solution embeds an intelligent computing board into the existing BBU. This design allows operators to upgrade network intelligence without replacing legacy infrastructure.
With AI-driven user experience perception, AIR RAN can identify the quality requirements of key applications. Intelligent resource scheduling then allocates network resources at the millisecond level. This process forms a closed-loop system that continuously evaluates and optimizes experience for critical services.
During the festival, AIR RAN delivered differentiated experience assurance. High-value users received stable and premium performance even when the network was under extreme load. This capability marks a shift from basic connectivity to experience monetization, where service quality becomes a core value.
Improves Real-Time Application Performance
The results at BMMF#15 demonstrated clear performance gains. Short video and instant messaging applications were selected as key scenarios due to their popularity at live events.
Under extreme downlink congestion, TikTok throughput increased by 23.74 percent. This improvement enabled smoother video playback with zero visible lag. Attendees could watch and share concert clips without interruption.
On the uplink side, Line instant messaging throughput improved by 31.86 percent under high load. A 250MB file upload could be completed in just two minutes. This level of performance is rare in highly congested environments.
These results showed that AI-driven scheduling can protect user experience even when network resources are heavily strained. It also confirmed that experience assurance can be delivered with precision and speed.
Enhances User Satisfaction at Live Events
For festival attendees, the benefits were immediate and practical. Users could share favorite moments instantly. Photos and videos were uploaded without delay. Messages were delivered in real time.
This seamless experience improved overall satisfaction. It also strengthened the perception of network quality during one of the most demanding use cases. By ensuring stable performance at peak moments, the network supported emotional and social engagement at the event.
From an operator perspective, this success laid a solid foundation for experience monetization. Premium experience assurance becomes a differentiating service rather than a basic expectation.
Network Efficiency Optimization
Beyond user experience, AIR RAN also improved overall network efficiency. The solution helped enhance spectrum efficiency by allocating resources more precisely based on real-time demand. This reduced waste and improved utilization under heavy load.
Energy efficiency was also improved. AI-driven scheduling reduced unnecessary resource activation. This helped balance performance and energy consumption during peak periods.
Operations and maintenance efficiency benefited as well. Intelligent perception and closed-loop evaluation reduced the need for manual intervention. Network performance could be adjusted automatically based on live conditions.
These improvements strengthened network competitiveness and supported refined operations. They also created a differentiated advantage that can be replicated in other scenarios.
Replicable Model for 5G Evolution
The successful deployment at BMMF#15 was not a one-off demonstration. It established a replicable paradigm for intelligent 5G network evolution. The combination of AI perception, real-time scheduling, and experience evaluation can be applied to other high-density scenarios.
Large sports events, exhibitions, and urban hotspots face similar challenges. AIR RAN provides a proven model to manage extreme congestion while maintaining premium experience levels.
For AIS, the project supported long-term network evolution. It showed how AI can be integrated into existing infrastructure to unlock new value without disruptive upgrades.
Broader Intelligent Network Vision
The AIR RAN deployment aligns with a broader vision of intelligent networks. ZTE continues to explore how AI can be embedded across network layers to improve service quality and operational efficiency.
In voice services, ZTE has also introduced new solutions that combine AI platforms with network capabilities. These solutions integrate data channels, AI plug-in platforms, and immersive technologies to enable interactive and intelligent communication services.
Through open architectures and APIs, AI and network capabilities can be exposed to developers and applications. This approach supports faster service innovation and more agile deployment.
While the BMMF#15 project focused on mobile data experience, it reflects the same core principle. Intelligence at the network level creates new value for users and operators alike.
Strengthens Competitive Differentiation
Experience assurance under extreme load is becoming a key competitive factor. Users no longer judge networks only by coverage or speed. They focus on consistency during peak moments.
By enabling guaranteed performance for key applications, ZTE AI helps operators differentiate their services. Experience-based offerings can be tailored to different user segments and scenarios.
Conclusion
The successful AIR RAN commercial deployment at Big Mountain Music Festival #15 demonstrated how ZTE AI can redefine 5G network value. Under extreme congestion, the solution delivered zero video lag and zero message delay for key applications. It transformed network performance from basic connectivity to premium experience assurance.
