ZTE Corp has solidified its standing in the telecommunications sector after receiving multiple accolades at the 2025 Lightwave & BTR Innovation Reviews. The company was honored for its continued advancements in optical networking and broadband technologies.
Recognitions included achievements in its full-band integrated optical module, hollow-core fiber system, pluggable 800G OTN solution, automated service provisioning, 50G PON Combo solution, and Wi-Fi 7 D-WLAN Mesh technology.
These acknowledgments underscore ZTE Corp’s strategic focus on scalable, high-performance network infrastructure—an area of growing importance as demands for capacity, speed, and efficiency continue to rise across global markets.
ZTE’s Major Achievements at the 2025 Innovation Reviews
The company earns top honors at the 2025 Lightwave + BTR Innovation Reviews with six groundbreaking optical network solutions:
- C+L Full-Band Integrated Optical Module – Doubles spectrum range, cuts size by 60%, reduces power per Gbit by 68%
- Hollow-Core Fiber System – Delivers 1.2 Tbps per wavelength and over 100 Tbps across 20 km
- Pluggable 800G OTN – Supports 64 Tbps per fiber with 2,000 km reach without regeneration
- IBON (Intent-Based Optical Network) – Enables OTN service provisioning in seconds, lowers O&M workload by 20%
- 3-in-1 50G PON Combo Solution – Seamless evolution across GPON/10G/50G with symmetrical 50 Gbps, no ODN change
- Wi-Fi 7 D-WLAN Mesh – AI-powered traffic control with zero packet loss during roaming
ZTE Corp’s Full-Band Module Redefines Optical Network Design
ZTE’s full-band C+L integrated optical module received recognition for its extended spectrum adjustment range, which is twice as wide as the industry baseline. This innovation enables a 25% increase in overall system capacity, which is a critical improvement for operators facing bandwidth limitations.
Engineered with a pluggable design, the module reduces volume by 60% compared to traditional fixed modules. Energy usage per gigabit has been brought down by 68%, which reduces operational energy loads in data centers and telecom facilities. By minimizing the variety of required spare parts, the solution also simplifies logistics and hardware support.
Breakthrough in Hollow-Core Fiber Transmission
One of the most significant awards went to ZTE Corp’s exploration and application of hollow-core fiber (HCF) systems. In recent tests, the company demonstrated single-wavelength transmission speeds of 1.2 Tbit/s and an overall capacity exceeding 100 Tbit/s on a 20-kilometer link.
This performance marks a shift in how high-speed, low-latency networks can be built. The use of intelligent algorithms, high-power optical amplifiers, and modulation enhancements enables faster transmission with 30% lower latency compared to traditional optical fibers. These gains are key for interconnecting data centers and building responsive, scalable cloud and AI computing frameworks.
ZTE Corp’s 800G OTN Solution Sets a New Benchmark
The company also introduced the industry’s first pluggable 800G Optical Transport Network (OTN) solution, now deployed in active operator networks. With support for up to 64 terabits on a single fiber and 2,000 km of transmission without signal regeneration, the solution offers an advanced answer to growing traffic demands in metro, backbone, and data center interconnect (DCI) environments.
By doubling board port density and reducing per-Gbit power consumption by 68%, this OTN solution significantly reduces the total cost of ownership. Its plug-and-play nature simplifies network upgrades and maintenance, giving telecom providers the agility to respond to shifts in demand more efficiently.
Automation in Optical Networks: The IBON Advantage
Service provisioning has grown increasingly complex as operators expand OTN deployments and face a broader range of use cases. ZTE’s IBON (Intent-Based Optical Network) solution addresses this challenge by automating service provisioning based on intent recognition.
Operators can input high-level service goals, and the system automates orchestration and deployment with minimal manual configuration. The approach lowers manpower requirements by 20%, improves network resource utilization by 10%, and reduces provisioning time to just seconds. This improves network agility while ensuring more efficient use of physical and virtual infrastructure.
ZTE Corp Leads with 3-in-1 50G PON Combo Innovation
ZTE’s 3-in-1 50G PON Combo solution also secured an award for its capacity to support a smooth transition across multiple generations of passive optical network technologies. The system enables co-existence and flexible deployment of GPON, 10G PON, and 50G PON without requiring changes to the existing optical distribution network.
Capable of symmetrical 50 Gbps transmission speeds, the solution delivers low latency and jitter control through its hard-pipe transmission framework. This is essential for supporting latency-sensitive applications across residential broadband, business access, and industrial automation deployments.
The ability to scale without overhauling existing infrastructure allows network providers to extend service capabilities while preserving previous investments.
Wi-Fi 7 D-WLAN Mesh Brings Seamless Connectivity to the Forefront
In the consumer broadband space, ZTE Corp was recognized for its Wi-Fi 7 D-WLAN Mesh solution. Built with features such as Co-EDCA, centralized control architecture, and VBSS roaming, the system enhances both network responsiveness and device handoff performance.
AI-based optimization algorithms monitor network traffic and adjust parameters in real time to reduce latency and jitter for priority applications. The system delivers a zero-packet-loss roaming experience by managing how client devices move across the mesh, which is critical for video conferencing, online gaming, and immersive streaming.
With improved quality of service and simplified management, this Wi-Fi solution offers a practical advantage for operators aiming to maintain subscriber satisfaction in increasingly congested wireless environments.
Recognition from Industry Leadership
Sean Buckley, Editor-in-Chief at Lightwave & BTR, praised ZTE’s achievements, noting that the company has maintained a strong influence on industry direction by producing technologies that are both technically advanced and commercially viable. According to Buckley, ZTE’s awarded solutions are a reflection of meaningful progress in optical transport, broadband access, and wireless network evolution.
Previously, ZTE joined the MWC 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, where Devid Honore Gubiani, President and Chief Executive Officer of Philtower and MIDC, stated, “Our partnership with ZTE will leverage its cutting-edge technology and expertise to support telecom operators in the Philippines. This initiative will enhance network coverage and service quality, contributing to the country’s digital transformation.”
Sustaining Innovation in a High-Demand Network Era
As data traffic continues to grow—driven by cloud services, 5G, industrial digitization, and AI workloads—ZTE Corp has positioned itself as a consistent contributor to global telecom infrastructure development. The company’s approach combines foundational research with deployment-ready solutions that address current bottlenecks in bandwidth, efficiency, and latency.
With the awards from the 2025 Lightwave & BTR Innovation Reviews serving as confirmation of its impact, ZTE Corp is expected to remain at the forefront of building next-generation network systems.
