Ericsson has launched a new frequency division duplex (FDD) radio product, AIR 3246, for Massive MIMO, which complements Ericsson’s global 5G radio offering. AIR 3246 supports both 4G/LTE and 5G NR (New Radio) technologies and is Ericsson’s first 5G NR radio for frequency division duplex (FDD). This launch will enable operators - especially in metropolitan areas - to bring 5G to subscribers using today’s mid-band spectrum and boost capacity in their LTE networks.
Ericsson’s 5G Platform includes three previously launched time division duplex (TDD) radios capable of supporting 5G and Massive MIMO, as well as core, transport, digital support and security elements. The company has the most complete 5G portfolio in the industry, serving the needs of the first movers in 5G.
People are watching, sharing and streaming video and music more than ever. As such, the demands on a sufficient speed are ever increasing. Ericsson analyzed 4G network performance statistics from metropolitan areas around the world, and found that the probability of a smart device suffering from insufficient speed can be as high as 20 percent during peak hours. Massive MIMO is a key technology to bridge from 4G to 5G, adding intelligent capacity and boosting user experience.
FDD Massive MIMO is part of a trial with T-Mobile US, on three sites in Baltimore, Maryland. This will be the first time that standardized Massive MIMO will be used to carry commercial LTE traffic using mid-band FDD spectrum.
Massive MIMO on FDD can increase network capacity up to three times and bring up to five times better user throughput, boosting performance for the end users. Today’s global base is primarily on FDD technology and devices, which separates uplink and downlink streams on different radio frequencies.
Commercially available in the second quarter 2018, AIR 3246 will be part of the Ericsson Radio System portfolio.
Complementing the 5G core transformation services introduced earlier this year, Ericsson is now launching a set of services helping operators on the road to 5G in three steps: Prepare, Mobilize and Launch. The services entail: Prepare for the first crucial stepsbased on learnings from Ericsson’s trials around the world;
Mobilize by setting up the technical and operational resources necessary for a successful 5G launch;
Launch 5G services through complete and rapid network rollout and ensure smooth operations of the services.
These new 5G services use Ericsson’s Engineered Intelligence approach, which builds on the best of human and machine capabilities and are supported by automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence tools.
Ericsson’s 5G platform comprises the 5G core, radio and transport portfolios, together with OSS, BSS, network services and security.
