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Ericsson (ERIC) Adds 5G Mid-Band Support to Spur Cloud RAN Offering

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Ericsson (ERIC - Free Report) recently made significant enhancements in its Cloud RAN (Radio Access Network) portfolio with the inclusion of mid-band spectrum and Massive MIMO. Markedly, the improvement will facilitate seamless deployment of these two avant-garde solutions across a purpose-built 5G network and simultaneously support communications service providers (CSPs) to enable faster delivery of services on the back of their 5G spectral assets with greater network scalability and increased flexibility.

Currently, majority of the CSPs are migrating toward cloud-native technologies and open network architectures for fast-tracked deployments across server or cloud platforms. In sync with this, the latest move is considered to be highly advantageous for the Sweden-based telco equipment vendor. This is because it will not only help in boosting Ericsson’s high-performing and cost-effective Cloud RAN portfolio but also aid in introducing emerging technologies in the market with a thriving partner ecosystem to propel the adoption of cloud integration services for a more responsive 5G experience for mobile broadband users.

Unveiled in 2020-end, Ericsson Cloud RAN is a cloud-native software platform that manages compute functionality in the RAN. Touted as a viable option for service providers, the solution adds more versatility to network buildouts and addresses a plethora of 5G use cases. It is fully compatible with the Ericsson Radio System portfolio to support both 5G standalone and non-standalone networks. The trailblazing technology makes synchronized use of pre-integrated radios and virtualized RAN (vRAN) across all deployment scenarios including bluefield deployments.

Notably, bluefield rollouts refer to incorporating new technology into an existing network. This enables service providers to realize the benefits of Cloud RAN and reap incremental rewards on the back of an extended network footprint. It also minimizes operational overheads for operators. Interestingly, the mid-band 5G deployment is further driven by Ericsson Cloud Link, which allows the functioning of other network technologies like Carrier Aggregation and Ericsson Spectrum Sharing. It is worth mentioning that as part of this recent upgrade, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ - Free Report) is helping the tech giant to develop these latest Cloud RAN enhancements.

On the virtue of long-standing partnerships with tech leaders like Intel Corporation (INTC - Free Report) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE - Free Report) , Ericsson is paving its way toward establishing a revamped cloud infrastructure for supporting future-proof networks and unleash improved 5G-driven user experiences. Strengthening the value of open innovation ecosystems, Ericsson is capitalizing on Intel’s accelerator technology and Xeon Scalable processors to secure high-density capacity solutions. This, in turn, is likely to accelerate growth in the cloud ecosystem, driven by healthy vRAN momentum.

Moreover, the involvement of industry-leading IT infrastructure vendor, HPE, will allow Ericsson customers to avail the benefits of HPE workload optimized edge compute so that they can install Cloud RAN networks in a flexible manner. Most importantly, the recent development will not only trigger the use of mid-band spectrums but also enable CSPs to augment the footprint of Ericsson Cloud RAN through 7 million 5G-ready Ericsson Radio System radios globally.

Moving forward, Ericsson intends to invest in strengthening its portfolio and expanding global footprint. The company is benefiting from accelerated 5G deployments in North-East Asia, North America and Europe. It currently has 139 commercial 5G agreements with CSPs and 86 live 5G networks in 43 countries. Its patent licensing business continues to perform well on the back of a strong intellectual property rights portfolio. Such bullish trends are expected to boost the Swedish entity’s business roadmap in the long run.

Ericsson currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The stock has gained 42.1% compared with industry’s growth of 46.4% in the past year. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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