Ericsson announces new deals in the Middle East

In Saudi Arabia, Ericsson carried out a proof of concept which will allow local telco stc to accelerate the introduction of the 2.3 GHz 5G band

Ericsson and Saudi Arabian operator stc have successfully completed a TDD-TDD 5G Carrier Aggregation proof-of-concept (PoC) to support stc’s nationwide 5G rollout with extended coverage and increased capacity.

The PoC took place on stc’s commercial network to demonstrate the benefits of 5G CA for higher peak rates and increased network capacity. The field results and simulation of the PoC will drive stc in accelerating the introduction of the 2.3 GHz 5G band in the existing 3.5 GHz 5G band deployed network, according to the vendor.

Badr Al-Lhieb, infrastructure sector VP at stc, said: “Leveraging 5G carrier aggregation on the two bands will help stc secure top rankings in speed and target highest 5G throughput in the Kingdom. With Ericsson’s global expertise, we are collaborating together to continue evolving the stc network to provide the best user experience to our subscribers in the most effective, innovative, and efficient manner. We are always on the lookout for the latest technology that will drive us forward in the direction of Saudi Vision 2030. “

Ericsson has been testing 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) carrier aggregation since the first quarter of 2021 using massive MIMO radios.

Mathias Johansson, VP and head of customer unit Saudi Arabia and Egypt at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, said: “Carrier aggregation is the foundation for a better 5G. It is an effective tool to extend the coverage of mid- and high-band, which also leads to increased capacity. “

Meanwhile, Ericsson and Middle East operator Ooredoo have announced the successful implementation of a 5G Indoor shareable solution in Qatar. The solution, which is called Ericsson Indoor Connect 8855, has been commercially deployed in stadiums across the country to enhance the immersive experiences of international tournaments.

The two companies said they have achieved download speeds of 1.5 Gbps in a 5G indoor demo.

Part of the Ericsson Radio Dot System, Indoor Connect 8855 is a multi-operator, multi-vendor, solution with full band support and 4 × 4 MIMO capability.

Mohammed Bin Abdulla Al Thani, CEO at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “With 5G creating new use cases across the country, indoor connectivity will play a key role in realizing these opportunities and driving new businesses. The shareable indoor solution is one that opens a wide range of possibilities that help us meet high-capacity needs and address market demands swiftly. We are confident our collaboration with Ericsson on their 5G Indoor shareable solutions will help deploy indoor networks faster and offer the highest performance possible to deliver on new 5G opportunities and enhance our customers’ experience. “

Ericsson also said that this solution also helps service providers address aesthetical challenges, while enabling more efficient and cost-effective solutions, adding that service providers can generate total cost of ownership (TCO) savings of up to 50% compared to other solutions on the market. .