There are already ZEM on certain zones and people tend to gravitate towards them for exp. I think the reason that hotzones were added to eqlive is because there was just so much content that people could spread themselves out over, that entire zones were completely neglected (and rightfully so). It was a tool to get players of given level ranges concentrated into particular areas for grouping and exp.
This server only has n number of zones with a good ZEM that people group up in, and that number is never going to increase (with the servers classic-Velious scope in mind) beyond where it's already at for levels ~1-~35. If it's difficult finding groups in those zones, I would think that it has more to do with server population at those levels, and I don't think that implementing an artificial (non-classic) system to boost this is the right solution!
Most of this server seems to log on around est primetime (5-12 EST) and I've never not seen 20 or so people in the zones where people commonly level. Perhaps you are just looking for groups in the wrong zone, or you are not playing at times were the servers population is most active, but from what I've seen there should be people to play with! The best solution I can think of, and coincidentally most "classic" would be to get your friends to play.
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