5G: Ericsson Announces Commercial 5G New Radio.

Ericsson AIR 6468

Ericsson is commercializing the 5G NR radio for massive MIMO, with the first deployments coming in 2017. Together with the Ericsson 5G Plug-Ins announced in June and Ericsson's already commercially available Radio System Baseband 5216, which currently powers Ericsson's Radio Test Bed, Ericsson is set to deliver all components of a 5G access network.

AIR 6468 combines advanced antennas with a large number of steerable ports to enable 5G technologies of beamforming, Massive MIMO and -- building on that -- Multi-user MIMO, initialized as MU-MIMO. These capabilities improve user experience while enhancing the capacity and coverage of the network and reducing interference. The new radio provides LTE support as well, so it is applicable in today's networks.

A host of new additions to the Ericsson Radio System are also coming that address key 5G requirements, in today's networks.

Additional new Ericsson Radio System gear addresses 5G concepts

• Three new radios support Gigabit speeds for LTE and provide further flexibility in design: Radio 4407 and Radio 4412 enable 4x4 MIMO in one radio unit for FDD and TDD mode respectively, and Radio 8808 for advanced TDD beamforming applications
• Addressing both the need for unlicensed spectrum options and the growing emphasis on small cells is the Radio 2205, a micro solution on unlicensed spectrum that is fully integrated in Ericsson Radio System, using the same baseband and network management
• Two new baseband units support the growing need for densification: the outdoor micro Baseband 6502 and macro Baseband 6303 with Ericsson Rail System mounting for flexible site builds
• Addressing interference issues in dense builds, Baseband P614 enables new band activation on challenging sites by mitigating Passive Inter Modulation, referred to as PIM mitigation, from static and dynamic sources both inside and outside the antenna system
• Spectrum optimization is a growing need and Uplink Spectrum Analyzer is an Ericsson-unique software solution to remotely identify external interference without the need for costly measurement equipment and site visits
• Exclusive to Ericsson is instant power sharing, used in the wideband Radio 2242. This capability allows power to be instantly shared between carriers, standards and bands, optimizing the use of radio resources
• Cloud RAN will be an important 5G network architecture and Baseband C608 provides high-performance switching in Elastic RAN deployments

To support new network builds, Ericsson has created the Industrialized Network Rollout Services solution. The Network Deployment Delivery Platform coupled with Ericsson's process facilitates the complete configuration, installation, integration, shakedown and handover of a fully verified site, ready in a single site visit.

LTE: Ericsson files patents suit against Apple in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands

Ericsson  has filed suits against Apple in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. For more than two years Ericsson has been trying to reach an agreement with Apple on a global license for Ericsson's patents on terms that are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND), but the companies have failed to reach an amicable resolution. 

According to Chief Intellectual Property Officer of Ericsson, Apple continues to take benefit from Ericsson’s technology without having a valid license.

These patents refer to technology related to the 2G and 4G/LTE standards, as well as other technology that is not standardized, but is related to, for instance, the design of semiconductor components and non-cellular wireless communications. 

Ericsson is confident that the matter will be resolved in the fair manner.

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Ericsson cloud video enabler wins NAB best of show award.

Ericsson  made an announcement that 2015 NewBay Media Best of Show Award which was held in Las Vegas, 11-16 April recognizes the ‘Ericsson Video Storage and Processing Platform’ as a disruptive cloud-based enabler for time-shifted TV services.

Vice President and Head of Solution Area Media of Ericsson, quoted that TV Consumers are already demanding access-anywhere services and infinite content choice, and will soon become frustrated with the fragmenting industry approach to delivering on-demand services. As a result, TV service providers are under increasing pressure to quickly and efficiently deploy complex time and place shifted TV services.

And thus Ericsson’s Video Storage and Processing Platform establishes the current industry benchmarks for performance, flexibility, and scale. Specifically optimized for media and suitable for time-shifted services such as cloud-based DVR, it has scale-out capabilities which have been proven to support over 150 petabytes of video storage across demanding customer sites worldwide.

According to Ericsson VP and Head of Solution Area Media, this award is testament to their market leading position in the media space. He said that their unique, flexible and disruptive approach to reducing costs and simplifying processes has made possible for their customers to delight consumers in their TV experiences, and to deliver business results through increased loyalty, new subscribers and revenues.

Ericsson’s Media Vision 2020 research predicts that by the year 2020, time spent watching on-demand and time-shifted content will have reached 50:50 parity with linear and live TV. TV service providers therefore must ensure that they can address accelerating consumer demand through scalable and resilient infrastructures, while still being able to deliver unparalleled performance that sustains high recording and playout concurrency, especially in all-new adaptive bitrate delivery architectures.

The Video Storage and Processing Platform powers Ericsson’s Cloud DVR solution, which was recently launched at NAB Show 2015 following Ericsson’s acquisition of Fabrix Systems. It offers a unique and tested infrastructure, which ensures that existing television services can be seamlessly enhanced or replaced with advanced private cloud-based services. This all-software platform leverages and transforms the video-specific performance of large arrays of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) servers.

LTE: Japan: SoftBank Mobile Selects Ericsson's Voice over LTE (VoLTE)

LTE: Japan: SoftBank Mobile Selects Ericsson's Voice over LTE  (VoLTE)

Japan's SoftBank Mobile has selected Ericsson to provide and integrate its end-to-end network solution for voice over LTE (VoLTE). With VoLTE as a basis, consumers will get HD voice and video calling alongside other telephony services, while using simultaneous LTE data services on LTE smartphones.

The VoLTE infrastructure will also enable additional new enriched communication services, and will serve as the basis for SoftBank's future network virtualization plans and Telecom Cloud introduction.

Ericsson is upgrading SoftBank Mobile's existing mobile core network (Ericsson Mobile Softswitch Solution and Evolved Packet Core) with a complete IMS core, which includes the Multimedia Telephony Application Server (MTAS). SoftBank Mobile's Ericsson-based LTE network is also being upgraded with new VoLTE software.

Until nationwide LTE coverage is deployed, seamless handover of ongoing voice calls from LTE to WCDMA is needed to ensure uninterrupted voice services as the user moves out of LTE coverage. Ericsson will also deploy this end-to-end network handover functionality, SRVCC (Single Radio Voice Call Continuity).

Sweden: Ericsson buys Airvana’s EVDO (Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized)

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Sweden: Ericsson buys Airvana’s EVDO (Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized) 

Swedish infrastructure vendor Ericsson has acquired the EV-DO (Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized) business of small cell specialist Airvana Network Solutions. The deal sees Massachusetts based Airvana, which has traditionally been a supplier of EV-DO software to Ericsson, transfer its 38 EV-DO specialist staff to the vendor.

As a result of the deal, Ericsson and Airvana have announced that they will jointly seek dismissal of the lawsuit filed by Airvana in February 2012. The US firm had begun a $330m intellectual property dispute against Ericsson in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, accusing the Swedish firm of developing software based on Airvana’s trade secrets and using it to operate wireless network equipment to avoid paying license fees.

Acccording to Paul Challoner, VP and head of CDMA Radio product at Ericsson, EVDO software is still an important part of the CDMA ecosystem.

“Ericsson is committed to CDMA and to its CDMA customers,” he said.

“We recognise that CDMA will continue to be an important technology in the operators’ networks. We continue our vertical integration strategy for key CDMA products and further strengthen our control over product portfolio, ensuring long-term support to our customers with the ability to better respond to their requirements.”

Sweden: Ericcson and Volvo team up on connected cars.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.        

Sweden: Ericcson and Volvo team up on connected cars.

Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has announced it will use local infrastructure vendor Ericsson’s Connected Vehicle Cloud solution in order to allow drivers, passengers and the car to connect to services available in the cloud.

Volvo drivers will be able to access in-car applications for information, navigation and entertainment. 

Content providers will have agreements with Volvo and the other members of the ecosystem, such as internet radio providers, road authorities, cities’ governments, and toll-road operators.

“We clearly see that cars in the near future will integrate the same level of digital services that consumers today are used to having in their homes or at work,” said Lex Kerssemakers, senior VP for product strategy and vehicle line management at Volvo. “This is a strategically important part of Volvo’s investments for the future where we intend to take a leading position.

“On top of this both companies share the same ambition to develop industry leading solutions in line with our shared vision of the future based on a networked society,” Kerssemakers added.

Russia: MegaFon and Ericcson to work on M2M.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Russia: MegaFon and Ericcson to work on M2M.

Ericsson and Russian operator MegaFon have announced plans to work together to develop M2M wireless communications. 

The use of Ericsson’s cloud-based Device Connection Platform as well as consultancy and systems integration support from the Swedish infrastructure giant will allow MegaFon to offer M2M connectivity to enterprises and tap into new revenue streams.

Video: Sony's billion euro bet on mobile.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Sony CEO Howard Stringer explains why his company is buying full control of the Sony Ericsson mobile phone venture at a news conference in London.

Softbank Mobile picks Ericsson for its next-generation multi-access network.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Japan's SOFTBANK MOBILE has selected Ericsson for its next-generation multi-access network architecture. Operator is preparing for an expected increase in traffic by implementing Ericsson's Evolved Packet Core (EPC) solution.

According to Ericsson, when the EPC goes online, SOFTBANK MOBILE's more than 26 million subscribers will enjoy faster communication and an enhanced user experience. By implementing the solution SOFTBANK MOBILE will benefit from a simplified network that facilitates the uptake of mobile broadband and allows it to reduce costs for operational maintenance and equipment.

This next-generation all-IP mobile core network solution supports various types of access, including both fixed and mobile networks. For example, it supports the operator's existing HSPA, WCDMA and next-generation LTE access networks, as well other network technologies, such as Wi-Fi.

"Ericsson's EPC solution is a great investment for us since we are expecting our network traffic to increase. Besides giving our users an improved high-speed connection, it allows us to simplify our network and thereby actually cut costs - all while gaining more subscribers," Junichi Miyakawa, Executive Vice President, Director and CTO, SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.

Ericsson Releases MPEG-4 Voyager 2 SNG Solution

WorldWideTech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Ericsson has unveiled its Voyager 2 scalable satellite newsgathering product to meet growing consumer demand for HD news services, the company announced Feb. 28.

   Voyager 2, Ericsson’s fifth-generation DSNG product, is built upon a hot-swappable 1RU chassis with color input confidence monitoring and features MPEG-4 AVC 4:2:2 encoding with 10-bit precision at up to 1080p50/60 resolutions to the DSNG market. The product aims to allow users to scale their event coverage from SD to HD and even multichannel and 3-D, delivered across a multitude of satellite and terrestrial networks.

    “In a dynamic and fast moving market, future DSNG solutions must reliably deliver high quality video in multiple formats over all modern transmission technologies and networks.

It is vital that news services and organizations meet the needs and desires of today’s consumers to watch coverage in the highest possible quality, and also ensure they are equipped to provide the next generation experience, such as 3-D coverage. Voyager 2 delivers exactly that,” Ericsson Head of Technology Solutions Giles Wilson said in a statement.

LTE: Africa: MTN trials 42Mb/s HSPA+

WorldWideTech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

MTN South Africa is trialling 42Mb/s HSPA+ in the Sandton area, as part of its ongoing investigation into achieving higher wireless broadband speeds, reports Telegeography.

The network utilises frequency in the 2.1GHz spectrum band and equipment provided by Ericsson.

LTE: TDC of Denmark Selects Ericsson for LTE

WorlsWideTech. Francisco De Jesús.

Denmark's mobile operator TDC has chosen Ericsson to supply and manage the LTE network. Under the deal, Ericsson will roll out a complete LTE solution including radio access and core network equipment as well as managed services. 

This is Ericsson's first full-scope managed service contract for an LTE/Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network, company said in a statement. The roll out of the network starts immediately.

"It's a historic day for us - not only for our business in Denmark but also from an international perspective because TDC is an important customer for Ericsson," says Lars Tofft, Head of Ericsson Denmark and Norway.

Ericsson deploys its first LTE network in North America

Ericsson Inc. (ERIC) supplied the network equipment for MetroPCS Communications Inc.'s LTE rollout in the Dallas area.

The operator is offering services on one device, the Samsung Craft, a dual-mode handset that operates on the carrier's CDMA and LTE networks. MetroPCS deployed LTE services last week in Las Vegas, using network equipment from Samsung Telecommunications America.

Ericsson said its network equipment for MetroPCS was a custom solution that allows MetroPCS to reuse a substantial part of its existing infrastructure.

In an interview with Thomas Noren, head of Product Line LTE at Ericsson, Noren said the company upgraded MetroPCS's transmission to the base station site "so we are now using an Ericsson solution for the transmission that is common for both CDMA and LTE. You can use one transport network and share the bandwidth and get synergies from using the same IP connectivity for both technologies so this is future-proof and a very sustainable solution that offers synergies and simplifies network management. It lowers costs. It simplifies the network."

Ericsson is supplying the end-to-end solution for MetroPCS -- its RBS 6000 base station, which supports LTE and GSM-based protocols; its IP-RAN, which allows MetroPCS to operate its CDMA and LTE networks over a common connection, its Evolved Packet Core; and network services.

"We also have deployed our EPC, our state-of-the-art gateway thats based on a true IP platform as well as our MME (Mobility Management Entity)," Noren said. "They basically bought the entire end-to-end solution from Ericsson ... It's up to Ericsson to make sure things work end to end and we certainly take that responsiblity." Noren noted that by using one equipment vendor, MetroPCS launched faster because the carrier didnt need to worry about interoperability testing between network vendors.

Noren, who holds the distinction as the world's first LTE customer, said TeliaSonera, which deployed the world's first LTE network in Norway and Sweden, said TeliaSonera is seeing download speeds of 40 to 50 megabits per second. "The performance is very, very good."

Ericsson said it expects to own 25% of the essential patents for LTE, making it the largest patent holder in the industry.

AT&T to launch LTE by mid-2011

AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) will launch commercial LTE service by mid-2011, and will cover between 70 million and 75 million POPs by the end of next year, a top executive said.

Speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2010 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference, AT&T Operations CEO John Stankey said the company is actively working with its primary LTE vendor partners--Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and Alcatel-Lucent (NASDAQ:ALU)--to get the network ready for launch. The company is currently conducting LTE trials in Baltimore and Dallas, Stankey said.

AT&T has said it wanted to wait for the LTE market to mature before moving forward with a full-scale deployment. Stankey said AT&T is working on a different kind of implementation for LTE than other carriers, and needs to carry forward its UMTS services to ensure that voice and data services can work simultaneously on both UMTS and LTE. The company is spending $700 million in capital expenditures on LTE this year and "will go far beyond that" in 2011, Stankey said.

By contrast, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) intends to launch 25-30 commercial LTE markets in the fourth quarter of this year, covering 100 million POPs. Verizon has said it plans to double the number of its LTE markets 15 months after its initial launch this year.

Stankey also touched on AT&T's 3G network. AT&T is readying a nationwide HSPA+ upgrade for this year, which AT&T executives have said will allow the carrier to deliver real-world download speeds of 7 Mbps. In the meantime, the carrier continues to upgrade backhaul to cell sites it has upgraded to HSPA 7.2 technology.

Stankey said he is "never satisfied" with AT&T's network, and that the company is continually working to improve it. He said that by Oct. 1, AT&T will have added 600 additional radio carriers in San Francisco, which has been a trouble spot for the company.

However, Stankey said, AT&T's network upgrade efforts have been hampered by continuing parts shortages from key vendors. He said AT&T is currently dealing with $300 million worth of backlogged network equipment. "We know we need that to deal with capacity," he said. 

 

Ericsson, Motorola partner on LTE for public-safety networks

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and Motorola (NYSE:MOT) forged an alliance to deliver LTE solutions to first responders. The two companies will try to bring their expertise to bear on the nascent public-safety LTE market.

Under the deal, Ericsson will provide LTE equipment--including packet core and related services--and combine that with Motorola Solutons' public-safety-optimized LTE core. Motorola also will provide devices, video security and command and control solutions for first responders. The two vendors did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Motorola has taken a lead in the U.S. in delivering public-safety mobile broadband solutions. In July the company won a contract for the first phase of a private 700 MHz LTE network buildout for first responders in the San Francisco Bay Area. Motorola received a $50.6 million federal broadband stimulus award to help build the network.

Despite the growing market for regional LTE networks for first responders, there is a still a logjam over how best to create a nationwide, interoperable public-safety broadband network using the D Block of the 700 MHz band. Public-safety groups are pressing Congress to allocate the spectrum directly to first responders, while the FCC is still advocating a re-auction of the spectrum. Still, advances are being made. Last week, Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE:ALU) said it completed what the vendor said was the first data call using an LTE network operating on the 700 MHz spectrum reserved for public-safety use in the U.S.

In other Ericsson news, the company acquired certain assets of inCode's Strategy and Technology Group for an undisclosed sum. Ericsson is getting 45 employees in the deal with the IT consulting company. InCode was bought by VeriSign in 2006 but became independent again in 2008 via a management buyout.
For more:
- see this release
- see this NYT release
- see this inCode release


  

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• Motorola, Ericsson Team On LTE Public Safety Network (informationweek.com)
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