Energy & Sustainability

U Mobile and ZTE test 100% solar-powered 5G site for remote areas

U Mobile and ZTE test 100% solar-powered 5G site for remote areas

Malaysian 5G operator U Mobile and ZTE said on Tuesday they have completed a proof-of-concept (PoC) of a portable 5G site powered entirely by green energy that promises a faster, more sustainable approach to connecting remote and underserved areas.

The solar-powered 5G site – which was connected directly to U Mobile’s core network via satellite backhaul – can operate independently of both the national power grid and terrestrial fibre infrastructure.

The solution was piloted at two rural locations in East Malaysia: SK Mentu, a primary school in Sebuyau, Sarawak (pictured above), and Balai Kebudayaan Iburu, a community hall in Sipitang, Sabah.

At both locations, a lightweight 12-metre pole structure was installed in place of a conventional telecoms tower. Supported by high-efficiency solar panels and a battery backup system capable of operating for up to 52 hours without sunlight, depending on configuration, the sites supported both 4G and 5G services and achieved peak download speeds of up to 134 Mbps during live testing.

U Mobile CTO Woon Ooi Yuen said the PoC showed that the site can be installed and fully activated in challenging rural locations within just three days, as the site is not dependent on availability of traditional telecoms towers, fibre backhaul or reliable grid power.

“This proof-of-concept demonstrates how a 100% green-energy, off-grid site can be deployed rapidly while still delivering reliable 4G and 5G connectivity,” he said in a statement.

U Mobile added that the same solution also has potential applications in emergency and disaster response, as it could help restore connectivity in areas where existing infrastructure has been disrupted.



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