As part of its mission to "Enable Connectivity and Trust Everywhere," ZTE is actively contributing to the SDGs by driving digital innovations to foster more resilient ecosystems and prosperous communities.
For example, ZTE collaborated with Orange Liberia on the ‘Enhancing Rural Area’ project in 2024, during which ZTE supplied its Rural EcoSite to provide connectivity to some of the remotest regions in Liberia.
Through this project, 128 full turnkey, low-cost, easy-to-deploy, quickly-installed, and environmentally-friendly communication sites were built within three months. This initiative addressed network connectivity issues in remote areas that traditional solutions struggled to cover, providing over 580,000 users in the region with the opportunity to access 2G and 4G network services.
The low power consumption, wide-coverage RAN solution supports the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, and 900 MHz bands to meet varying national network requirements. It is compatible with multiple standards (2G/3G/4G/5G), allowing for flexible upgrades to match different stages of network development. The transmission solution supports microwave, satellite, and LTE relay, addressing transmission challenges in remote areas. The Liberia rural network project specifically supports 800 MHz and 900 MHz bands. The network offers 2G voice services for users in remote areas and supports 4G data services.
The solution only uses solar power and is supplemented with smart lithium batteries to ensure continuous power supply during nighttime or overcast days when solar energy is insufficient. It operates independently of the grid, addressing power shortages in remote areas and delivering stable network services. The solution’s iEnergy UME dynamically adjusts the load and automatically regulates energy output through intelligent switching devices, enhancing O&M efficiency and reducing site maintenance costs.
Liberia contends with the complexities of national infrastructure, influenced by its unique location and climate. The extended rainy season, lasting over seven months, adds significant challenges to these efforts.
For the rural network project, the team built communication networks from scratch in isolated rural regions without access to power grids or roads, making construction challenging. Leveraging the company’s supply chain and project management, the project team drew up a plan to install the materials and equipment for all 128 towers that ensured all materials were delivered before the rainy season began to minimize the impact on delivery.
The solution uses an innovative modular tower construction, making it easier to transport and deploy. As a result, tower construction can be completed within a week, reducing network construction costs by as much as 70% and construction time by up to 60%.
Greg Cardoza, CTO of Orange Liberia, said, “By leveraging each other's strengths, we've been able to not only deliver on our commitment to ‘Enhance Rural Areas’ but also pave the way for future collaborations that can further drive digital development in Liberia and beyond.
“We view this as a long-term commitment to local, sustainable development. Our work is not just about improving connectivity but creating it where there was none before.”
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