Telstra and Ericsson plan the first programmable network in APAC

Customers of Telstra are set to become the first in the Asia-Pacific 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 optimise network management through self-detection and self-healing capabilities.

The partnership is expected to provide Telstra with one of the most advanced, resilient and reliable 5G networks in the world. 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.

The programmable network will provide Telstra a platform for innovative application development and the ability to tailor high connectivity to the unique requirements of its customers, including new performance-based offerings. Furthermore, it will be opened to tech innovators from wider ecosystems via network application programming interfaces (APIs). 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.

“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,” said Telstra CEO Vicki Brady.

“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 of Ericsson, added, “High-performing programmable networks are the building blocks to digitalise enterprises and nations. Telstra — a longstanding early adopter partner of Ericsson — is set to enjoy the benefits that Ericsson 5G Standalone connectivity will bring. 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.”

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