INVESTING AGAIN IN ZTE AND NUBIA

He is responsible for Telenor Group and other Nordic customers at ZTE, and we meet him the first week of March at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

Ronen Hansen says ZTE is at the forefront with the next generation of wireless networks.

– We are the first supplier to commercially launch Wi‑Fi 8, and we see a trend where some customers skip Wi‑Fi 7 and go straight to Wi‑Fi 8, says Hansen to the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

At ZTE's exhibition area, we stand next to a wall with the text "World Leading FWA and MBB", that is, Fixed Wireless Access and Mobile Broadband.

– We are the world's largest supplier of all in-house access, such as routers and connected devices, says Hansen.

He highlights that ZTE collaborates with all major mobile operators globally, in the Nordics with Telenor, Telia, 3 Scandinavia/CK Hutchinson, DNA, Norlys/Telia Denmark, and Elisa. In addition, they work broadly in the open market.

Komplett, Power and Elkjøp

– Komplett, Power, and Elkjøp are important players. In some channels, we have achieved quite good market shares. This varies by product type, but we have a solid position in the Nordics, says Hansen.

In the past seven years, ZTE has seen strong growth in retail both in mobile and fixed broadband (MBB and FWA).

– We see a trend where more retailers are requesting mobile broadband and FWE products. This is where we have seen the largest increase, says Hansen.

He expects that new usage patterns will influence further development.

- We are talking about more advanced products in the home, which connect everything together and also include Wi-Fi sensing technology. With this, the hub can detect small changes in the wifi signals in the room, so that the system perceives movement and presence without a camera. This makes it possible to combine surveillance, automation, and security in one unit, says Hansen.

He believes that many will eventually have only one box in the house, instead of five or six.

ZTE, Nubia and Redmagic

ZTE is showcasing three mobile brands at MWC: ZTE, Nubia, and RedMagic.

– RedMagic is a ZTE brand, and the world's largest mobile gaming brand. We hope to soon bring it to the Nordics, says Hansen.

– Nubia is also a ZTE brand. Going forward, more of our mobiles will be called Nubia by ZTE, or just Nubia. When we commercially launch models in the Nordics, they will come as Nubia. Nubia Pro and Nubia Air are examples, says Hansen.

The ZTE name will mainly be used for simpler models.

– ZTE will represent entry-level and basic models, with 4G and the most affordable 5G models. But the forefront will be Nubia, says Hansen.

He emphasises that ZTE already sells mobiles in the Nordics.

– We sell in Denmark, via ICE in Norway, while we have more to do in Sweden and Finland. ZTE hasn't had many mobile models out in recent years, but now we are rebuilding the brand, says Hansen.

External mobile cooler

RedMagic Cooler 8 Pro is a powerful cooling solution for mobiles with 36 watts of power and temperature reduction down to -25 °C. It has an 11-blade fan at 6500 rpm, low noise level at 36 dB, and a magnetic attachment solution. Developed for gaming, streaming, and high-load phones.

RedMagic 11 Pro has Pulse water cooling, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform, and ReeCore R4. The battery is 7,500 mAh with 80 W wireless charging. It uses ICE cooling and BOE-customised amoled screen with 1.5K resolution and 144 Hz. The model supports Google Gemini and MORA AI.

Nubia M153 is an AI-native smartphone showcased at MWC 2026. It integrates the Doubao assistant at the OS level and can perform multi-step tasks automatically after one command. The phone uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite platform with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB storage, marking Nubia's commitment to deeply integrated, agent-based mobile AI.

Wide broadband width

At MWC, ZTE showcases the full range of mobile broadband equipment.

- We are showcasing ZTE's range, from simple 4G/5G dongles and Mi-Fi routers, that is, mini routers, to more advanced routers. For example, the U60 Pro is for those who want better coverage and better antennas, says Hansen.

The latest model in the range is the U60 Ultra.

– It has three sim cards and lan connection so you can aggregate the traffic and get better bandwidth. You can run your shop via it. It is more for the SoHo and small market, says Hansen.

SoHo stands for Small Office and Home Office, and Hansen is talking here about small businesses and home offices.

5g at 56 grams

In Barcelona, ZTE is showcasing several network products. ZTE F50 Pro is an ultra-compact 5G router at 56 grams, with support for SA/NSA networks, eight antennas and Wi-Fi 6. It delivers up to 500 Mbps download and can connect to 16 devices. A small status screen and NFC connection should make it easy to use.

ZTE U30 Pro is a portable 5G/wifi router with Snapdragon X62 modem, Wi-Fi 6 and 5,000 mAh battery. It has a touch screen, global band support and improved stability over U30 Air. The design is compact, and the device is suitable for travel and multi-device use.

ZTE U60 Pro is an advanced 5G hotspot with Snapdragon X75, Wi-Fi 7 and download up to 4.29 Gbps. It has nine 5G antennas, 10,000 mAh battery, 3.5-inch touch screen, NFC connection and support for up to 64 devices, a powerful solution for work and travel.

Soundbar with Jamo

ZTE U60 Ultra builds on the U60 series with more advanced hardware and robust performance for professional environments.

ZTE BN19000 Wi-Fi 8 XGS-PON ONT is a high-performance fibre terminal with 10GE connectivity and triple wifi band up to 19,000 Mbps. The device supports OMCI and TR-069 for remote management and is designed for very high speeds, low latency, and future-proof home networks.

ZTE's 4K AI-powered Android TV soundbar combines a soundbar and TV box in one unit. It features 4 TOPS NPU, cinema sound from Jamo, Dolby Atmos, and support for Dolby Vision. With far-field microphones, it offers hands-free control and functions as a smart home control point.

Hansen says ZTE has a robust Nordic setup.

– We have people in place in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Everyone has worked in telecom for many years and knows both products and channels. This allows us to quickly meet customers locally. It's a big advantage, says Hansen to the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

Smart security

One of his colleagues is Thor Gøtz, who is responsible for the Danish market. At MWC, he shows us ZTE's focus on smart homes and AI-driven devices.

– We are introducing the next level of home monitoring via artificial intelligence, where lighting, surveillance, and all devices work together. You can control everything via voice, screen, or keyboard, says Gøtz.

He says ZTE is strong in the category.

– Not yet in the Nordics, but in China we sell millions of such units. The products are heavily tested before we bring them to Europe. ZTE invests 20 percent of annual turnover in research and development (R&D), and has 35,000 engineers. This puts us in a unique position when it comes to technology and innovation, says Gøtz.

Among the products is a new solution called Smart Home Entrance.

– This is a central unit you place in the house, especially important for children and the elderly who need extra security at home. The unit allows you to control lights, surveillance, and IoT equipment, and provides a safe way to connect with the family, says Gøtz.