Ericsson to gear up RCS & RDS (Digi) network for 5G and IoT

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has been selected by RCS & RDS to modernize its mobile network in Romania, allowing its Romanian subscribers to enjoy enhanced mobile broadband services.

• ŸRCS & RDS group partners with Ericsson to launch enhanced mobile broadband services across its Digi Mobil network in Romania
• ŸMultiannual agreement marks the first collaboration between the two companies and paves the way for Digi Mobil’s commercial introduction of IoT and 5G services in Romania
• ŸEricsson Radio System to be deployed in Bucharest, commencing in December 2017

Ericsson will swap out the existing vendor to deploy the latest 5G-enabled and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) ready radio equipment across the operator’s network, focusing on the cities of Bucharest and other cities. The agreement marks the first collaboration between the two entities in Romania.

The scope of the contract covers access nodes based on Ericsson Radio System (ERS), Ericsson’s flagship radio system solution that will enable both 3G and 4G services while preparing the network for evolution to 5G. The new solution can support Internet of Things (IoT) services, allowing RCS & RDS to rapidly deploy innovative new B2B solutions and capture additional revenue streams.

Valentin Popoviciu, Executive Vice President, RCS & RDS, says: “As we enter this partnership with Ericsson, we will be able to use their global experience and expertise to introduce a significant technology refresh in our radio network, that is meant to support our continuous internet & data growth. The additional network capacity allowed by this technology will enable us to address in an advanced manner a larger base of customers in Bucharest, Romania’s largest city, while also offering better quality and more reliable services for all of our existing customers”.

Arun Bansal, Senior Vice President and Head of Europe and Latin America at Ericsson, says: “Operators need solutions they can deploy within today’s networks to manage the growth of current services as they prepare for 5G. By future-proofing its network, RCS&RDS can take advantage of 5G and IoT technology concepts and reap the benefits of the technology now. This partnership represents a great step for Romania towards 5G and the IoT, taking the mobile broadband experience of subscribers to a new level. In addition, our leading solutions will allow RCS & RDS to explore new revenue opportunities, to further extend its business as it evolves to 5G.”