The FINANCIAL — In big cities like New York, the air space above buildings is valuable real estate – think the Manhattan skyline. Where there is no room to build out, urban planners build upward. Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) is opening up the same opportunity to operators struggling with site acquisition challenges in densely populated areas, allowing them to utilize wall space in existing sites and safely add 5-times the capacity to towers.
Ericsson’s new modular Radio System, launching at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, will redefine how mobile networks are built on every level.
Ericsson Radio System’s modular architecture flexibly expands to changing demands on the road to 5G with multi-standard, multi-band and multi-layer technology. It all but eliminates site acquisition issues, delivering three times the capacity density with 50 percent improvement in energy efficiency. The system will give network operators the infrastructure they need to support growing mobile data needs, which are expected to reach 25 Exabytes per month by 2020, when 5G is expected to be commercialized. The new portfolio reduces total cost of ownership (TCO) by 20%, according to Ericsson.
Hideyuki Tsukuda, Senior Vice President Technology, Softbank Mobile, says: “As mobile broadband demand continues to grow, we are addressing the connectivity and speed requirements of our consumer and corporate customers by investing in the performance of our mobile network. Ericsson’s new modular, compact and energy-efficient radio system enables us to target our network investments precisely where and when they are needed. This helps us to quickly address increased demand and ensure continued customer satisfaction, while optimizing our available spectrum resources.”
With the new system, operators will be able to tailor and evolve each mobile network site to meet their local requirements today and in the future. Ericsson Radio System improves operator responsiveness and reduces capital and operational expenditure.
Ken Rehbehn, Principal Analyst at 451 Research says: “The Ericsson Radio System represents a generational shift for key elements of the company’s radio access portfolio. By elevating its vision from a base station orientation towards a broader systems view, Ericsson sets the stage for evolutionary network change delivering operators needed flexibility and agility. Ericsson’s move is important to operators because it promises a strong foundation for rapid technology innovation required to cost effectively handle growing traffic requirements, changing regulatory environments and challenging commercial realities as LTE networks become 5G networks.”
Ericsson Radio System delivers the industry’s most energy efficient and compact radio solution, maintaining performance leadership at half the size and weight. The flexibility inherent in the architecture is made possible by targeted software deployment, which enables fast and efficient rollout of new capabilities.
Arun Bansal, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Radio, Ericsson, says: “We never compromise on radio network performance. Our experienced R&D team slashed the size and weight in half across the product line only after we secured performance. Ericsson Radio System’s multi-standard, multi-band, multi-layer architecture with integrated backhaul provides an ideal platform for operators to support their business today and on the road to 2020, laying the foundation for 5G.”
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