5G-A × AI: Transforming Monetization from Volume to Value

Currently, telecom operators face a critical choice: whether to remain trapped  between traffic growth and stagnant ARPU under the traditional business model, or to seize the opportunity presented by the deep integration of 5G-A and AI to explore a new blue ocean opportunity in connectivity services. This strategic choice will reshape the industry.

ZTE is helping operators transform from "pipeline providers" to "intelligent connectivity service providers" by upgrading both connectivity and intelligence, creating a new paradigm for 5G-A networks and unlocking new value through experience monetization.

As telecommunications evolve from 5G to 5G-A, operators are actively exploring ways to improve user experience, provide differentiated services, and optimize connection performance. For example, AT&T provides Turbo, a service that gives users the choice to purchase faster data speeds. Deutsche Telekom cooperates with Twitch to ensure an enhanced network experience in a live-streaming game environment that demands low latency and high bandwidth. Under the “Living Network” initiative, Thailand’s AIS provides 5G BOOST, 5G LIVE, and 5G GAME modes for consumers.

Since 2024, China Mobile has launched 5G-A packages in more than 14 provinces. Henan Mobile has introduced the innovative "Try & Buy" marketing model, offering low-latency and high-bandwidth mobile gaming acceleration add-on packages for gaming enthusiasts and dedicated live-streaming add-on packages for online influencers.

From Data Traffic to Experience Monetization

An innovative business model needs a robust operational system. In the context of experience-centric operation, ZTE works with partners to build a 5G-A intelligent guarantee system that enables precise identification of high-value users and intelligent delivery of service packages. Henan Mobile and ZTE successfully built a trial of experience monetization, enabling hierarchical experience guarantees and meeting users' requirements for high-quality network services. After the 5G-A package was put into trial commercial use, high-value user satisfaction improved markedly, accompanied by a 10% increase in the data of usage (DoU) and a 5% increase in ARPU. In the cells where the AIREngine intelligent computing board is deployed, a preventive guarantee mechanism is enabled for users who have subscribed to the 5G-A package. The poor-quality occurrence rate is reduced by 80%, network load tolerance is improved, and both network resilience and scenario-based experience services are upgraded—successfully realizing new experience-driven monetization.

In accordance with the "Try & Buy" marketing model of Henan Mobile, ZTE provides users with an "Enjoy Now, Pay Later" service. By deploying wireless AI and the NWDAF intelligent plane of the 5G core, users experiencing poor service quality can receive on-demand service assurance. With the 5G-A network upgraded by the ZTE AIR RAN solution, the package admission capacity can be accurately estimated even under network congestion and complex interference scenarios. User experience is ensured through a closed-loop mechanism, with complaints traceable and root causes analyzed, delivering a deterministic experience for 5G-A package users.

• Precise Sales Mapping and Package Provisioning Capacity Estimation  

Based on user distribution, AI-predicted network load and spectrum efficiency, and background resource reservation, the RAN estimates the precise scope and capacity for package provisioning at the service level, and reports the estimation results to the operation system to achieve precise control over the provisioning scale.

With AI-based prediction, the RAN can pre-assess whether user perception can be improved and whether sufficient capacity is available to support such improvement, thus avoiding "blind provisioning" that may lead to low package conversion rates or complaints from package users.

• Multi-Dimensional, Full-Time Deterministic Experience Assurance

Based on the NWDAF intelligent user-plane solution of the 5G core, in addition to triggering dynamic GBR dedicated bearer establishment when poor service quality is detected, the AIR RAN solution introduces the AIREngine into existing base stations, allowing VIP users to enjoy optimal time-frequency, power, and carrier resources, and providing multi-dimensional deterministic experience assurance. In addition, resources can be reserved for key services or killer applications of non-package 5G users within the network to ensure minimum user experience and reduce complaints.

• Evaluable and Traceable Experience with Closed-Loop Assurance

Package user experience can be perceived and quantified, forming an important part of experience monetization. The AIR RAN solution enables second-level, multi-service-aware KQI evaluation, and provides experience profiles at the cell, user, service, and grid levels, facilitating rapid identification of poor service quality and root cause analysis. For users who file complaints, historical profiles can be traced, thereby improving the satisfaction of high-value users.

Evolution Towards the AI Agent Era

With the evolution of AI applications, AI-based entry points are reshaping human-machine interaction, and service access is shifting from traditional apps to AI agents, including digital assistants based on AI terminals and embodied AI. The development of AI agents places higher requirements on communication networks, especially in terms of uplink capacity and low latency interaction. Wireless networks need to enhance connectivity to support the evolution of AI agent services. At the same time, experience monetization is evolving from live streaming and cloud gaming to AI agents.

By introducing AgentGuard into the wireless network and combining automated service flows that integrate intent recognition, service identification, network profiling, policy generation, and experience evaluation, ZTE transforms rule-based decision-making in traditional networks into on-demand, agent-centric services. With the continuous evolution of agents towards greater generalization and intelligent coordination, ZTE will continue to promote the evolution of networks, empower service agents with network agents, and embrace a new era of experience monetization.