(Yicai Global) Jan. 18 -- Mammoth Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE made the world's first call today on ZTE's 5G wireless communication prototype smartphone in cooperation with China Unicom in a field trial. 

The test also checked various other fifth-generation services, such as WeChat group voice calls, online videos and web browsing.

"This achievement has made Shenzhen field of China Unicom become the world's first commercial test field to make the first call in the NSA mode and it is in compliance with the 3GPP Rel-15 [technical standard]," Shenzhen-based ZTE said in a statement. 

The pilot is adopting ZTE's 5G end-to-end solutions, including radio access, core and transport networks and intelligent devices. It realized connectivity with ZTE's 5G prototype smartphone in the field. The trial has also verified several other core 5G technologies.

This achievement validates the prediction by Hong Kong-headquartered China Unicom's Chief Executive Officer Wang Xiaochu that, "5G technology will be available by the first quarter of 2019, but it is estimated that the technology will be mature a quarter later. 5G service may really be available by the second half of 2019," US and China-based tech media Pandaily reported March 12.

Editor: Ben Armour

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