Ericsson Quickens the Pace in the Race to 5G

By The Editors of AGL

September 5, 2017

Even though there is no standard yet, Ericsson announced that its platform now includes an FDD radio from capable of supporting 5G and Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (Massive MIMO). The new radio will provide a bridge between fourth generation and fifth generation wireless using today’s spectrum allocations.

The AIR 3246 is designed to complement to Ericsson’s global 5G radio offering, supporting both 4G/LTE and 5G NR (New Radio) technologies. Operators will be able to bring 5G to subscribers using 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 radio will enhance 4G capacity for subscribers today and simplify the transition to 5G in the future, according to Fredrik Jejdling, head of Business Area Networks at Ericsson.

Stefan Pongratz, Senior Director at the Dell’Oro Group, said, “With an expected installed base of 10 million LTE macro radios in high traffic and metro areas by 2021, service providers are expected to capitalize on the improved spectral efficiency made possible with Massive MIMO.”

FDD Massive MIMO is part of a trial with T-Mobile US, on three sites in Baltimore, Maryland, which 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 Ericsson Radio System.