Naturally, ZTE says the Broadband World Forum award further recognises the company’s innovation with its "Pre5G massive MIMO technology".

ZTE explains how its technology works, stating: "In a commercial network, the single-carrier peak rate of Pre5G massive MIMO exceeds 400 Mbps, increasing spectral efficiency by four to six times when compared with that of existing 4G networks.

"In addition, Pre5G massive MIMO technology is compatible with existing 4G terminals (such as 4G customer premises equipment (CPE) and handsets) so that users can enjoy a high-speed broadband experience without changing their terminals. Pre5G massive MIMO technology solves the Internet’s last mile problem by improving Internet access and therefore enhancing the user experience.

"Compared with digital subscriber line (xDSL) and very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) technologies, massive MIMO can provide a more competitive access rate without the expense of fibre to the home. In fact, this is highly practical for both mobile carriers and fixed network carriers."

It’s not the first time ZTE has received awards for its technology, either.

The company reminds us that, earlier this year at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, "ZTE’s Pre5G massive MIMO base station, described as a 'disruptive innovation', won both the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough and the Outstanding Overall Mobile Technology - The CTO's Choice 2016 awards".

It won an award for what was then described as the "world’s first pre5G 3D/massive MIMO base stations" in partnership with China Mobile back in 2014, too. 

Since 2015, ZTE tells us that it has "launched several commercial Pre5G massive MIMO pilot projects in multiple markets".

The company notes it has "also signed memorandums on strategic cooperation in Pre5G/5G technologies with China Mobile, Softbank, Korea Telecom, U Mobile, and Hutchison Drei Austria for joint technical validation, testing, assessment and research and development".

We are then informed that, so far, "more than 20 Pre5G networks have been deployed all over the world".

And what will come as no surprise, is that ZTE confidently states it will "continue to promote a wider application of Pre5G".

Broadband World Forum bills itself as "powering the global connected society’ and ‘the recognised annual meeting for industry leaders in broadband".

A seven-plus hour recording of what was a live stream of part of the multi-day event is hosted at the Ultra-Broadband 2020 site (produced in association with Broadband World Forum) and is embedded directly below.

If you only know ZTE from its smartphones, it's actually a Chinese technological powerhouse, offering ‘advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices, and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, carriers, companies and public sector customers’ around the planet - check out the company’s website here.