Bhutan Telecom has selected Ericsson to deploy a 5G network in Bhutan — responsible for network rollout and services of the 5G network.

The contract includes 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) deployment that covers Ericsson Radio System products and solutions, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, Packet Core upgrade, OSS / BSS 5G enhancements initially and 5G Standalone (SA) introduction in subsequent years.

Karma Jurme, CEO of Bhutan Telecom, said: “We appreciate the Government’s reliance on telecom infrastructure to boost the country’s digital infrastructure. The introduction of 5G will boost digital services in the country and enable Bhutan to become a digital society.”

The latest Ericsson Mobility Report projects that 5G mobile subscriptions will exceed 580 million by the end of 2021, driven by an estimated one million new 5G mobile subscriptions every day. About 3.5 billion 5G subscriptions and 60 percent 5G population coverage are forecast by the end of 2026, says Ericsson.