ZTE Unveils AIR RAN For Network Monetization

ZTE announced AIR RAN, an AI-Reshaped RAN that embeds AIREngine at base stations and LLM-based AI Agents to convert radio access networks into intelligent, monetizable platforms, the company said. ZTE says its dual-layer architecture and four 'Turbo' engines can boost spectral efficiency by up to 20%, cut energy use roughly 15%, reduce MTTR 20%, and drive a 5–20% ARPU uplift, arguing networks must shift from 'pipes' to experience-based services as AI traffic rises.