Telecom network and software major Ericsson today announced its new mobile broadband solutions for emerging telecom markets.
The mobile broadband solutions, which include software and hardware additions to Ericsson Radio System, provide the capabilities needed to reduce the total cost of ownership by up to 40 percent when rolling out Ericsson’s total site solution for mobile broadband.
Utilization of the latest mobile broadband solution from Ericsson will enable telecom network operators to ensure returns from investments in low-ARPU markets.
Ericsson’s mobile broadband tools allow operators to identify which sites in a GSM/EDGE coverage area have the highest number of users who already have internet-ready devices. Telecom operators can determine where it makes more sense to convert those sites first to HSPA or 4G LTE.
The Broadband Commission estimates that it would cost $450 billion to bring the next 1.5 billion people online.
“Ericsson supports the International Telecommunication Union’s Connect 2020 target of ensuring that more than 50 percent of people in the developing world are using the internet by 2020. In order to reach this goal, we will need to connect roughly 500,000 new users to the internet each day,” said Arun Bansal, head of Business Unit Network Products, Ericsson.
The new mobile broadband solutions address the significant divide in internet adoption between developed and developing countries – only four out of ten people in developing countries are connected to the internet and about 15 percent of the world’s population do not have access to electricity.
Rajesh Singh, president, Corporate Network Planning at Idea Cellular, said: “India is a very diverse market so our greatest need in challenging areas is to complement the existing GSM networks with WCDMA and LTE access. We see the Radio 2219 and Psi Coverage as important assets when we extend mobile broadband coverage across the country.”
The new solutions include Ericsson Site Manager software paired with Ericsson Site Controller, Radio 2219, Antenna Integrated Radio, AIR 2488, MINI-LINK 6363, MINI-LINK 6651 indoor unit and new additions to the Ericsson Enclosure family. It includes new software enhancements to both the Zero Touch WCDMA and Flow of Users solutions.
“These innovations address investment pain points while also considering the current situation and environment of many of these builds. Ericsson is unique in their multifaceted approach and focus on spurring mobile broadband adoption in these developing markets,” said Daryl Schoolar, principal analyst, Intelligent Networks, Ovum.
