4G
ZTE Blade V50 Design 4G Review: Surprising Features on a Budget-friendly Phone
Ever since officially launching operations in Bangladesh, ZTE has been on a roll with its smartphone releases. Their smartphones ranging from entry-level to mid-range, provide a good value-for-money option. The brand recently launched its Blade V50 Design 4G on 2nd March in the Bangladesh market. Let’s take a detailed look at the device.
Key Specs of ZTE Blade V50 Design
Design and Build Quality
The Blade V50 has the word ‘Design’ in its official name. While it might sound rather odd, the stylish look and hefty build quality would justify the naming choice. Even at an affordable price, the Blade V50 design comes with a glass front, plastic frame, and a glass back design.
The dimension of the device comes in at 165 mm by 76.1 mm by 8.3 mm with 207 g weight. Beyond the dimensions, the ports and button choices are all standard on the V50 Design. There’s a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a micro SDXC slot, and a power button that doubles as the fingerprint scanner. The only downside to an otherwise iPhone-like design is the lack of a secondary noise-cancellation mic.
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Other than that, the Blade V50 Design is everything one would expect from a budget-friendly smartphone. It will be available in three colorways - Beach Green, Sunrise Violet, and Diamond Black.
The Display
The display is one of the strong suits of the V50 Design. It’s a 6.6 inch IPS LCD panel with 1080 by 2408 pixels resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. ZTE claims that the screen has a 90.5% screen-to-body ratio with the noticeable chin on a water drop-style display design.
Being an FHD+ panel, the pixel density comes in at around 400 PPI. Users might notice a cooler tone on the color profile out of the box. However, it can be easily tweaked from the settings for a more vivid look. As for the display itself, there’s good contrast with sufficient brightness and details making it perfect for media consumption.
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The Camera
There’s a triple camera setup on the ZTE Blade V50 Design. The main sensor is a 50 MP f/1.8 wide-angle shooter with PDAF. The additional sensors are a 2 MP f/2.4 macro shooter and a depth sensor with the same configuration.
In effect, the 50 MP does all the work here. Pictures came out great in direct sunlight with good details and dynamic range. ZTE claims to have incorporated some AI features that help with subject profiling and exposure.
There’s also an 8 MP front camera which is good enough for casual selfies.
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But like any other typical budget-friendly phone, the photo quality significantly drops at night or in artificial lights. There were visible grains and noises in the image in anything other than ideal lighting. The night mode helped with the exposure issues but the softness remained.
The V50 Design can shoot up to 1080P at 30fps. However, the lack of internal stabilization makes for choppy videos.
Banglalink, ZTE bring next-generation 4G service to Bangladesh
Banglalink and ZTE have launched the next-generation 4G service for superior customer experience in Bangladesh with the new 2.3GHz time division duplex (TDD) spectrum in Khulna.
The two parties showed high-speed internet services based on high-performance devices, signalling that the Bangladeshi telecom market is "ready to provide and welcome advanced technologies," said a media statement.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder; Banglalink Chief Executive Officer Erik Aas, Chief Technology and Information Officer Huseyin Turker, ZTE Corporation for VEON Global Managing Director Liao Hui, and ZTE Bangladesh Chief Executive Officer Liu Wencheng were present at the launch event.
Shyam Sunder said: "I am delighted to see how Banglalink is prioritising different regions of the country as part of its nationwide expansion strategy. Such initiatives can play an important role in accelerating Bangladesh's technological progress by fostering digital inclusion."
Read: Banglalink committed to nationwide 4G rollout, CEO tells VEON event
Erik Aas said: "The launch of next-generation 4G with the deployment of new spectrum in Khulna shows our firm commitment to this region, which has always been a special market for us. It also demonstrates our intent to transform into a truly national operator."
Liu Wencheng said: "We will continue to facilitate Banglalink in deploying networks through innovative and reliable solutions and products and jointly explore the huge potential of networks in the digital economy era."
Banglalink committed to nationwide 4G rollout, CEO tells VEON event
Banglalink is committed to building a nationwide 4G network and will continue to develop its digital operator portfolio maintaining double-digit growth in upcoming years, said Erik Aas, chief executive officer (CEO) of the telecom operator.
"We are now focusing on expanding our strong 4G network across the country so that all of our customers from every region can benefit from it. With the highest amount of spectrum per customer, we will fulfil this objective soon and reinforce our position in the market," he added.
Banglalink established an essential capex commitment for the upcoming 2-3 years and this will ensure its nationwide competitive 4G coverage, the CEO said.
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He was addressing VEON's Investor Day event organised by the telecom operator's parent company VEON.
Kaan Terzioğlu, group chief executive officer of VEON, and other CEOs of operating companies owned by VEON also joined the event, which was held in the presence of investors and analysts from different regions of the world.
Banglalink's revenue market share is expected to converge towards its spectrum market share of 25 per cent.
Read Banglalink signs agreement with ZTE for network modernization
When it comes to the overall market scenario, the operator has seen a fast growth of 4G-enabled customers.
In the last quarter, Banglalink reported that 33 per cent of its customers used 4G, and the customer base grew by 63 per cent year on year.
3G, 4G mobile internet services ‘suspended’ in Bangladesh
Cellphone users are largely unable to use the internet through mobile data as mobile internet speeds in the country have been awfully slow since Friday morning.
Contacted, mobile operators told the UNB correspondent that the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has directed them through a notice to keep the 3G and 4G mobile data services suspended across the country from Friday 5am until further direction.
Also read: Govt shuts off mobile internet
As UNB sought his comments, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar said the 3G and 4G mobile internet services have been suspended due to some technical glitches. “The services will go back to normal as soon as the issues are fixed,” he added.
Also read: Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram suffer worldwide outage
Grameenphone partners with Wipro for advanced network management
Grameenphone (GP) has signed a contract with global technology service company Wipro Limited to acquire advanced network capabilities.
Wipro will be part of managing GP's present mobile networks and building an advanced future-fit network.
The new contract expands the relationship between the two companies, as GP has relied on Wipro as a technology partner to manage application development, infrastructure support and IT security.
Read 10th Commward: Grameenphone's campaigns win 28 awards
Demand for advanced mobile services and high-quality network experience is rapidly increasing in Bangladesh.
"To deliver on the ever-growing connectivity needs, boost customer experience, and bring in advanced future technologies, this year we have expanded 4G coverage across the country, acquired the maximum allowable amount of spectrum, partnered with tower companies to roll out new towers and gained access to fibre network in partnership with the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited," Rade Kovacevic Chief Technology Officer Grameenphone said in a statement.
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About GP's partnership with Wipro, he said: "We are taking a significant leap forward in our ability to manage our network, and excel further in meeting our customers' expectations. In addition, this partnership will bring in global expertise and future-fit capabilities and create global career opportunities for Bangladeshi talent."
Bhavya Kapoor, managing director of Wipro for Southeast Asia said: "Wipro's primary focus is to accelerate Grameenphone's growth by leveraging our global strength and providing progressive and innovative localised technology solutions."
Read 5G to be rolled out through Teletalk by December: Jabbar
"With the growing convergence of IT and core telecom networks, and the advent of software-defined lined networks, cloud-first architecture and 5G, we are glad to partner with Grameenphone to provide advanced capabilities to modernise their network; coupled with IT applications and infrastructure."
Wipro recently completed its fourth year of operations in Bangladesh, one of the focus countries under its Asia Pacific-Middle East-Africa Strategic Market Unit.
Read Vivo tops Asia-Pacific 5G shipments in Q2, says Strategy Analytics
Grameenphone announces 15,500 4G towers in country
Commemorating Bangladesh’s 50th anniversary, Grameenphone reaffirmed its commitment to unleash the potential in every corner of the country by announcing 100 percent of its 15,500 towers 4G has been enabled.
The declaration was made at an event on Sunday in Dhaka where Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar was the Chief Guest, said a press release.
Also read: GP files review petition asking to pay BTRC Tk 575 crore
Bangladesh and Telecom Regulatory Commission Vice-Chairman Subrata Roy Maitra, was special guest while Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman, CFO Jens Becker, and CMO Mohammad Sajjad Hasib were present.
Mustafa Jabbar, Hon’ble Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, stated “I have continuously emphasized the necessity of nationwide 4G coverage so that the common person in the remotest area may become a part of the Digital Bangladesh vision. I thank Grameenphone for their continued efforts in assisting the government in realizing that vision.”
Read GP customer care worker passed users' info to criminal gang; case filed against telco leader.
On behalf of Grameenphone, CEO Yasir Azman said, “I take this opportunity to thank our customers for keeping their trust in us; I also thank MoPT and BTRC for their continued guidance.”
Subrata Roy Maitra, Vice-Chairman of BTRC said “We appreciate Grameenphone’s commitment to ensure high-speed internet all across Bangladesh.”
Read Huawei hosts ‘online digital summit 2020’ in Bangladesh
Speaking on the occasion, Grameenphone CFO Jens Becker said, “In continuation of our efforts to empower Bangladesh, today indeed is a very special day for us.”
During the event, Mohammad Sajjad Hasib, CMO Grameenphone, made live calls to community representatives in multiple remote locations and shared the joyous moment, and celebrated 4G connectivity with them.
Also read:Nagad joins forces with GP to drive digital financial inclusion
Over the last 24 years, Grameenphone has been working to democratize technology benefits and ensure access to connectivity for all.
With the nationwide 4G coverage, new tower roll-out, and preparations to deploy an additional 10.4 MHz spectrum, the company is positioned to meet people’s growing need for high-speed internet and support digital services uptake in rural and urban areas for its 80 Mn customers and beyond.
Huawei hosts ‘online digital summit 2020’ in Bangladesh
Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Limited held ‘Huawei Bangladesh Digital Summit 2020’ through video conference on Monday.