Ericsson has been selected to supply core, microwave transmission and radio access services to Claro’s LTE network in Costa Rica.
Claro’s LTE network uses the 1800 MHz band, as a value added service. Getting connected will require customers to have an existing 3G plan, a smartphone or tablet with LTE capability and USIM.
The service will be initially available to pre-paid subscribers in some Costa Rican cities and provinces, such La Uruca, Santa Ana, Escazú (San José), Alajuela and Heredia.
Some of the key features of Ericsson’s LTE offerings include Mobility Management Entity, Home Subscriber Server, the RBS 6000 family, and microwave transmission using the LTE-proven MINI-LINK TN.
The services also cover consulting for spectrum refarming, equipment roll-out, systems integration and optimization, in addition to support for field operations, maintenance and the back office.
Claro Costa Rica is the first operator to introduce LTE network services in Central America within AMX group, as well as the first operator in Costa Rica to launch LTE as a value added service for the local market in post-paid plans.
Ericsson leads the LTE solutions market in Latin America.
The LTE deal with Claro happens just after Ericsson signed a deal with SK Telecom, one of the Korean mobile operators and a leading player in 4G / LTE, to demonstrate Elastic Cell, a key 5G technology. The initiative is hailed as a major breakthrough in the development of 5G technology, which is expected to become a reality in 2020.
