Evolution to 5G: Ericsson, VodafoneZiggo prepare for 5G readiness

Ericsson and VodafoneZiggo are working together to increase the capacity of the Vodafone mobile network in the Netherlands by maximizing the potential of Ericsson’s latest 5G-ready radio equipment and Vodafone’s spectrum assets.

Consumers will enjoy higher mobile browsing speeds while enterprises benefit from the deployment of NarrowBand IoT and CAT-M1 technologies that enable support for a wide range of Internet of Things devices.

In addition, Ericsson has been selected as sole supplier for Vodafone’s macro radio network including 5G until the end of 2020.

The managed services partnership between Ericsson and VodafoneZiggo – whereby Ericsson is responsible for network rollout, network design and optimization, field services and core network deployment – will be extended until the end of 2020. Ericsson will apply the latest advances in automation and network design and optimization to ensure the Vodafone network achieves maximum efficiency.

Arun Bansal, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Area Europe and Latin America at Ericsson, says: “By working closely together we ensure all of Vodafone’s customers – ranging from consumers like you or me to large enterprises – get access to a network that meets their specific needs. We will provide the latest and greatest hardware and software, ensuring best network quality at a lower overall cost.”

Eben Albertyn, Executive Director of Technology at VodafoneZiggo, says: “Ericsson remains a valued strategic partner in supporting the Vodafone network. As with any long-term partnership agreement, it is crucial that the relationship is regularly reviewed and adjusted to reflect the business strategies. We look forward to continuing our partnership to enhance our operational performance and focus on Technology Leadership on which we recently have demonstrated a live network test reaching 792 Mbit/s.”

Ericsson and VodafoneZiggo are building the network of the future – capable of gigabit speeds and ready to cope with its share of the approximately 29 billion connected devices we expect to see by 2022. Approximately 18 billion of these connected devices will be IoT-type devices such as connected cars, machines, meters, sensors, point-of-sales terminals, consumer electronics and wearables. Ericsson’s strategic partnership with VodafoneZiggo will prepare the network for IoT enablement and stimulate the creation of cutting-edge Internet of Things services for both consumers and enterprises.