Ericsson announced that Vodafone UK has selected the company to evolve its 4G networks in London and southern England employing technologies including massive MIMO and carrier aggregation to help improve network capacity and end-user performance.
Ericsson noted that massive MIMO technology utilises advanced antenna arrays to improve the quality of radio signals and increase capacity, while carrier aggregation (CA) combines different cellular frequencies to increase capacity and data rates for end users.
Ericsson will also provide Vodafone UK with 5G radio technology as part of preparations for the introduction of 5G in London and the southern region of England.
The agreement between Vodafone UK and Ericsson encompasses technology trials, product validation and commercial deployment, as well as professional services. The two companies have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering the following areas of collaboration:
1. 4G evolution, 5G radio non-standalone and standalone.
2. 5G site deployment scenarios.
3. NR (new radio) simulations using the 3.5 GHz and mmWave bands.
4. Development of 5G use-cases and proofs of concept for business services.
5. Distributed cloud and network slicing proof of concept, including end-to-end latency and cloud-optimised network applications.
6. Collaboration with King's College London.
7. Implementing a 5G innovation technology incubation program.
