China Unicom and ZTE launched the 5GAxI UniMAX solution at MWC Barcelona 2026 on March 5, 2026, targeting ubiquitous deterministic connectivity challenges driven by the rapid growth of Mobile AI applications.
The solution addresses a projected shift in network demand, as AI traffic is expected to account for 50% of total traffic by 2031. Moreover, emerging applications such as intelligent agents, embodied intelligence, and AI glasses are accelerating this transformation, reshaping human-machine interaction and industrial models.
What Is 5GAxI UniMAX?
5GAxI UniMAX builds on dedicated on-base-station AI acceleration engines to construct a simplified and flattened wireless intelligent architecture. The solution integrates a deterministic connection orchestration engine, enabling hierarchical intelligent control from the network level down to individual network elements.
Three Core Air-Interface Technologies
The solution achieves breakthroughs in three core technologies that address longstanding wireless network pain points. Specifically, each technology targets a distinct layer of network performance.
- Uni-PHY: Reduces protocol overhead within a cell.
- Uni-Cell: Mitigates inter-cell interference and improves user experience.
- Uni-Band: Lowers latency and enhances spectrum efficiency across frequency layers.
Field Trial Results
Large-scale field trials verified that 5GAxI UniMAX improves user experience consistency and spectrum efficiency. Furthermore, the trials confirmed the solution resolves experience degradation at cell edges and capacity constraints caused by interference in dense networking environments.
“Over the past two years, the rapid development of new AI technologies represented by intelligent agents has profoundly transformed human-machine interaction and industrial patterns. AI and 5G-A have become the dual core engines powering the digital economy.”
Wang Rui, General Manager of the Co-Construction & Sharing Working Group, China Unicom
Wang Rui added that China Unicom remains committed to advancing its “5G-A Action Plan”, accelerating technological synergy between 5G-A and AI through the dual strategy of “AI-intelligentized network” and “network-empowered AI”. The company also aims to build integrated “connectivity + computing power” support at the edge.
“AI technologies have successfully crossed the key threshold from laboratory research to industrial deployment. Diversified scenarios such as intelligent agents, embodied intelligence and AI glasses are accelerating widespread adoption. Coupled with the maturity and commercialization of efficient models like DeepSeek, edge-side rapid inference has achieved a revolutionary leap forward.”
Sun Fangping, Senior Vice President, ZTE
Sun Fangping stated that this transformation upgrades the core requirements of mobile telecommunications networks from “basic connectivity availability” to “deterministic stability and reliability”. As a result, 5G-A ubiquitous deterministic connectivity becomes a cornerstone for large-scale Mobile AI development.
Strategic Outlook for 5G-A and AI Convergence
ZTE and China Unicom stated they will continue deepening cooperation, focusing on collaborative innovation of 5G-A and artificial intelligence. Both companies plan to work with global industrial partners to promote two-way empowerment between mobile communications and AI, accelerate 5G-A development, and advance evolution toward 6G.
The partnership also targets building a broader intelligent connectivity ecosystem. Consequently, the two companies aim to expand application scenarios and strengthen the industrial ecosystem supporting the large-scale commercialization of Mobile AI.