Ericsson, Telstra claim 5G industry first deployment with spectrum sharing

Ericsson and Telstra have announced what they describe as an industry-first deployment of radio access technologies on one radio using spectrum sharing, enabling the Australian operator to deliver expanded 5G coverage for its customers in both cities and regional areas.

The successful deployment of Radio 4480 with five radio access technologies took place at Ballarat, Victoria, with the radio solution simplifying the management and evolution of multiple generations of technology on Telstra base station sites in both metro and regional areas. It simultaneously supported five key 3GPP radio access technologies of 3G, 4G, 5G, Cat-M and NB-IoT across two spectrum bands, using the Ericsson Spectrum Sharing system.

The dual-band, multi-technology capability of the Radio 4480 is said to provide Telstra with a lower installation footprint while also delivering improved energy efficiency, future proofing and sustainability. 

This is described as the first application of its kind, with 4G, 5G, Cat-M and NB-IoT dynamically sharing the same radio carrier enabled by Ericsson Spectrum Sharing. In addition to Radio 4480, the solution is now also available on other Ericsson Radio System FDD radios.

The efficiency of the new Radio 4480 is said to be a key driver in helping Telstra deliver expanded 5G coverage for customers in both cities and regional areas. As the Radio 4480 also supports existing 3G, 4G and IoT services, Telstra will be able to deliver the benefits of 5G earlier while maintaining existing services for customers.

With the eventual closure of the 3G network, set for around 2024, the Radio 4480 with 5 radio access technologies will allow 3G spectrum to be reconfigured for 5G via simple software configuration changes and no return to site.

The new Radio 4480 with 5 radio access technologies will support Telstra’s Band 28 (700MHz) for 4G, 5G, Cat-M and NB-IoT with Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, and Band 5 (850MHz) for 3G and 5G.

“This latest innovation with Telstra reinforces how we are continuing to lead technological innovation on a global scale,” said Emilio Romeo, head of Ericsson, Australia and New Zealand. “We share Telstra’s long-term commitment to providing Australians in regional and rural communities with the best coverage and the latest technologies and we are proud to be able to provide a solution that combines deployment efficiency with the best Telstra customer experience.” 

Chris Meissner, network engineering director, customer access at Telstra, added: “With our 5G network now reaching more than 75% of Australians, this innovation will ensure we can continue to provide the best coverage possible to all communities. Ericsson’s Radio 4480 with 5 radio access technologies support will allow us to grow 5G coverage in an efficient and scalable manner, while maintaining existing services that customers rely on today. This will ensure more Australians can benefit from the emerging digital economy that 5G helps to deliver.”