Far EasTone Taiwan expands 5G partnership with Ericsson

Taiwanese communications service provider Far EasTone Telecom (FET) has chosen Ericsson as its vendor for 5G Standalone (SA) and Non-standalone (NSA) dual-mode 5G Core and Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services.

The deal builds on Ericsson’s existing 5G partnership with FET, including the launch of commercial 5G in July 2020. Ericsson will support FET in the expansion of its 5G NSA capabilities and SA evolution on the low, mid- and high-band frequencies.

In addition to end-to-end network orchestration and management, the expanded partnership will include full network design, planning and optimization services. These abilities will maximize FET’s spectrum assets by expanding its mid-band base stations and modernizing existing low-band stations.

Ericsson will also provide a turnkey solution to deploy cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core, including the container-based Ericsson Cloud Packet Core, Ericsson Cloud Unified Data Management and Policy, Ericsson Cloud Native Infrastructure and Ericsson Orchestrator.

Ericsson Cloud VoLTE solution will enable FET to improve voice user experience in current 4G networks in addition to being the foundation for voice use cases and 5G voice.

The deal also includes Ericsson Radio System products, including antenna-integrated radios (AIR) for mid-band and millimeter wave.

Ericsson’s AI-powered Cognitive Optimization will be deployed for the first time in Taiwan as part of the expanded partnership, ensuring continuous optimization for 5G network performance and enhanced user experience.

Chee Ching, President, Far EasTone, says: “The recent 5G network performance recognition both by Speedtest and Opensignal confirms our commitment to providing best 5G experiences for customers in Taiwan. With the proven network performance, we are glad to extend the strong partnership with Ericsson to continue the footprint and build a world-class 5G network.”

Chafic Nassif, President, Ericsson Taiwan, says: “The value of this partnership is unique and significant at the same time. Our close collaboration with FET to deliver a world leading network shows the benefit of combining end-to-end efficient network assets with operational efficiency, to improve customer experience. Together with FET, we are keen to continue to drive next-generation 5G-powered opportunities and innovative services for both industry and consumers in Taiwan.”