Four-year deployment will put Telstra’s network, and related offerings, among global frontrunners.
Customers of Australian CSP Telstra are set to become the first in the APAC region to benefit from a high-performing, programmable network with 5G Advanced capabilities, thanks to a major partnership with Ericsson.
Under the four-year deal, Telstra will upgrade its radio access network (RAN) with Ericsson’s next-generation Open RAN-ready hardware solutions and 5G Advanced software. It will also implement AI and automation to optimize network management through self-detection and self-healing capabilities.
The transformation will power Telstra with one of the most advanced, resilient and reliable 5G networks in the world. Telstra’s programmable network will provide a platform for innovative application development and the ability to tailor superior connectivity to the unique requirements of its customers, including new performance-based offerings.
Further, it will open the network to tech innovators from wider ecosystems via network APIs.
The adoption and acceleration in uptake of network APIs, and how they can drive telecom industry monetization opportunities, is also the focus of the recently announced global venture, Aduna, of which Ericsson and Telstra are founding members. Telstra’s new 5G Advanced network capabilities will be central to the delivery of such API-based services.
The high-performing capabilities of the 5G Standalone (5G SA) solutions involved are also key to enabling the next-generation use cases and developer innovation that will make Industry 4.0 a reality in Australia.
Vicki Brady, CEO of Telstra, said: “Through our partnership with Ericsson, the first-of-its-kind for any operator across Asia-Pacific, we will evolve our offering and improve the efficiency of how we use our spectrum so we can increase our 5G network capacity to deliver better consistency of performance, reliability and speed to millions of customers.
“With a programmable network we will move from a one-size-fits all proposition, to being able to deliver more sophisticated use cases and commercial models to provide a differentiated and more tailored connectivity experience to customers.”
Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, said: “High-performing programmable networks are the building blocks to digitalize enterprises and nations.
“This faster, more secure and differentiated connectivity will transform consumer and enterprise experiences and enable developers to use 5G technologies to experiment, innovate, and build game-changing applications. Through this deal, Telstra is also empowering Australians – from single developers to the nation’s largest industries – to play their part in ensuring Australia is competitive on the global stage. We look forward to working closely with Telstra to make that happen.”
The new network will maximize Telstra’s spectrum investments and operational efficiency. It aims to double 5G capacity, deliver improved consistency of service, increase depth of coverage, increase uplink and downlink speeds, and reduce energy consumption.
In addition, it will enable the transformation of traditional one-size fits all mobile services towards differentiated connectivity, where consumers and enterprises can create their own service experience.
