Unlike the Huawei 5G CPE Pro 2, the ZTE stock firmware in 2021 did not officially allow users to "lock" specific 5G bands to improve stability. Enthusiasts often had to use third-party scripts or "hacky" web-inspector tricks to access these hidden menus.
Many users notice that upon boot, the router pulls down speeds of up to 250 Mbps on pure 5G. After roughly 15 to 30 minutes of continuous idle time, the 2021 firmware logic sometimes drops the network tier down to standard 4G, severely choking speeds to a fraction of their potential. This behavior is frequently linked to power-saving protocols inside the older firmware that incorrectly prioritize legacy LTE bands under minor signal fluctuations. Aggregation & Carrier Customization Limits MC801A - ZTE - Support
You will need QFIL (Qualcomm Flash Image Loader) or MiFlash , along with the correct scratchpad/firehose programmer files for the Snapdragon X55. zte mc801a firmware 2021
Improved the logic for switching between 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA) networks.
Power off the device, remove the SIM card, wait 5 minutes, and power it back on. If the lights continue to flash randomly without broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal, you may need to force flash the firmware via a USB connection using emergency recovery tools. 3. Missing Band Selection Settings Unlike the Huawei 5G CPE Pro 2, the
Most carrier-locked MC801As check for updates automatically.
In Q1 2021, the first major wave of updates rolled out. These were reactive, fixing the spontaneous reboots that frustrated users. After roughly 15 to 30 minutes of continuous
Features fully unlocked menus, manual band locking, and unrestricted VoIP/VoLTE settings.
In 2021, the hardware was rarely the issue. Powered by the modem, it delivered exceptional 5G speeds (often exceeding 400-600 Mbps in good coverage). The 2021 reviews highlighted:
To update the firmware to the latest version available in 2021, follow these steps:
: Go to Settings > Device Settings > Update Management .