ZTE said the modernisation involved more than 1,800 base stations. It introduced FDD Massive MIMO technology, which resulted in 4G throughput growth for subscribers.

The usage of ZTE equipment was completed ahead of schedule.

This milestone was celebrated with an official launch event in Astana, titled "Giga City: Accelerating the digitalization of Kazakhstan.”

Kazakhstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is bounded in the northwest and north by Russia, on the east by China, and south by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, the Aral Sea, and Turkmenistan. The Caspian Sea bounds Kazakhstan to the southwest.

“Rapid growth in data traffic consumption continues in Kazakhstan. This requires a more efficient 4G network to meet increasing network capacity demands while delivering a better user experience. The FDD Massive MIMO solution is a right way to optimize the modern 4G network," said Beeline CEO Evgeniy Nastradin.

"The Giga City project, implemented in collaboration with Beeline in the Akmola and Turkestan regions, demonstrated our capability to effectively solve complex technical problems on a live network. We organised a comprehensive modernization of the radio network infrastructure, including preparation for its future evolution,” said ZTE CEO Xu Ziyang.

“This will enable the operator to significantly reduce operating costs due to more energy-efficient equipment and the capability for remote site management.”

Beeline Kazakhstan is a subsidiary of Veon Group.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 24 June 2024.