Etisalat taps Ericsson for 5G network core
The UAE’s leading telecom provider, Etisalat, is using Ericsson equipment to implement its advanced 5G radio and core network.
The state-owned operative is a multinational United Arab Emirates-based telecommunications services provider currently operating in 15 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The partnership will concentrate on 5G use cases and applications that contribute to the digital transformation of the industry. These include Enhanced Mobile Broadband, Fixed Wireless Access, enabling industrial 5G applications and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Etisalat has been at the forefront of new technology on many occasions and was recently hailed by Ookla Speedtest as the world’s fastest mobile network.
The new 5G cloud-native network is a development milestone for mobile and broadband services in the UAE, and will provide Etisalat subscribers with enhanced mobile broadband, fixed wireless access and 5G industrial and IoT solutions.
Haitham Abdulrazzak, Chief Technology Officer, Etisalat, described the new 5G cloud-native network is a development milestone for mobile and broadband services in the UAE.
He said, "Etisalat continuously strives for innovative solutions to bring value to our customers. Being recognised as the world's fastest mobile network operator in 2020, 5G will act as an important infrastructure in realising the digital future, boosting investment in the country and driving the knowledge economy.”
Abdulrazzak added, “We are rapidly upgrading our network to deliver the quality, capacity, and overall network performance that our enterprise and consumers demand. With a new 5G Radio and 5G Core network, we will further ensure high quality, increased capacity, and greater reliability for our customers.”
Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit Etisalat at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, said the UAE provider’s 5G network would significantly improve subscriber services. “Etisalat’s 5G network not only has the latest digital infrastructure capabilities, it also offers significantly improved capacity. Consumers, enterprises, industry and society in general in the UAE are set to benefit enormously from 5G and we are keen to be working with Etisalat to make that happen.”