EE, part of the BT Group, is deploying Ericsson’s AIR 3268 Massive MIMO radio equipment to deliver improved 5G energy efficiency and network performance across the UK.
Ericsson’s AIR 3268 Massive MIMO radio is up to 40 percent less weight (14kg) and volume (25 litres) than the previous generation of radio equipment from the telecom network maker. It is also the most energy efficient radio equipment of this type deployed in Europe.

Field measurements in active deployment have shown a reduction of up to 40 percent in energy usage, helping deliver immediate energy savings.

EE will deploy the radio kit will on more than 1,000 sites. It will offer substantial energy efficiencies, but also improve capacity, coverage and speed to deliver a better mobile experience for customers. EE uses 3.4GHz and 3.6GHz spectrum bands for 5G.

EE’s first deployments of the equipment are in London, with sites in Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Belfast to follow this year.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT Group, said: “We’ve already made significant progress in making EE a more efficient network, delivering vast quantities of additional data without equivalent energy increases.”

As part of the collaboration with Ericsson, EE is also testing more advanced equipment in the future, including a new software feature called ‘deep sleep’ which can save energy by consuming up to 70 percent less power per radio during low traffic hours.