Editor’s note: The telecommunications sector continues to evolve rapidly, driven by advancements in 5G, the emergence of 5G Advanced, the growing adoption of Open RAN and the integration of AI into network operations. Given the high volume of industry developments, RCR news brief highlights some of the key announcements shaping the future of global connectivity, infrastructure and innovation.
Ericsson, SoftBank partner to drive innovation in AI, cloud and 6G
Ericsson and SoftBank have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership towards 2030. This collaboration focuses on evaluating, promoting, and co-creating ‘NextWave Tech’, which encompasses advancing technologies to the next stage, including AI, Cloud RAN (Radio Access Network), XR (Extended Reality), and 6G. The partnership seeks to explore new use cases and drive technological advancements that will shape the future of cellular networks and its architectures.
The partners will evaluate commercial readiness for Cloud RAN deployment with SMO / rApps, including integration of AI technology. They will also explore new ways of using radio wave by integrating sensing and communication
Under the partnership, Ericsson and SoftBank will also promote the effective use of centimeter Wave technologies to position Japan as a leader in the 6G field.
Telefonica offers 5G via 3.5GHz band in 2,000 Spanish municipalities
Spanish telco Telefónica said it is now offering 5G services using the 3.5GHz band in more than 2,000 municipalities across Spain.
The operator also offers its customers 5G coverage in the 700 MHz band, already present in more than 4,000 municipalities. This lower frequency extends mobile coverage in outdoor areas and improves service performance indoors, complementing the capabilities of the 3.5 GHz band, the carrier said.
Telefónica noted its 5G coverage now reaches more than 91% of the population, with progressive growth since the technology’s launch in September 2020.
In July 2023, the telco had initially launched 5G SA technology in a total of 11 cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville, Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ávila, Segovia, Castellón, El Ferrol and Vigo.
Nokia, Zain claim first live cloud RAN site in Saudi Arabia
Finnish vendor Nokia and Saudi telco Zain KSA announced the completion of the first live cloud RAN site in the country.
The partners noted that the site achieved peak download speeds of 1.5 Gbps when connected to the telecom company’s 5G core network during recent trials.
The partners also noted that the trial also paves the way for future innovations, including AI-RAN, Open RAN and potential 6G networks.
In January, Nokia announced it had partnered with Zain KSA to launch the first 4G/5G Femtocell solution in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and Africa region, aimed at improving mobile coverage and optimizing connectivity for enterprise customers.
NTT, Docomo and NEC demo real-time bidirectional wireless transmission in 80 GHz band
NTT Corporation, NTT Docomo and NEC Corporation announced in a release that they demonstrated a real-time bidirectional wireless transmission in the millimeter wave band between 71 GHz and 86 GHz that achieved a bit rate of 140 Gbps.
The Japanese companies noted that the test demonstrated that OAM (Orbital Angular Momentum) mode multiplexing transmission technology can increase the capacity of wireless transmission, and that OAM-mode control technology can increase wireless transmission distances by using reflected paths. The achievement is expected to help realize high-capacity wireless transmissions to meet future demand anticipated in the 2030s.
“The three companies will explore applications such as relay transmission using real-time, high-capacity wireless communications and will apply OAM-mode multiplexing technology to wireless backhaul and fronthaul networks. They will also seek to increase wireless transmission capacity and extend transmission distances in millimeter-wave and higher frequency bands. Ultimately, they aim to establish flexible network infrastructure for future services such as VR, AR, ultra-high-definition video transmission, connected vehicles and remote medical applications in the 6G era and beyond,” the release said.
