Iceland’s largest communication service provider, Síminn, has selected Ericsson as a 5G radio access network (5G RAN) partner. The deal follows successful 5G trials.
Building on Ericsson and Síminn’s long-term partnership, the new 5G deal will help to enable the next generation of innovation in Iceland. 5G RAN products and solutions from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing will be deployed.
The journey to 5G began when the companies conducted 5G trials as a part of a network modernization initiative.
Síminn will deploy 5G on 3.5-3.6GHz mid-band spectrum. The mid-band 5G deployment significantly enhances throughput to unlock the full potential of 5G. It can also be the key to unlocking a huge range of new opportunities in areas such as gaming, transport and manufacturing.
5G technology is designed to handle anticipated network capacity in the future – mobile data traffic in Europe alone is set to grow by more than 30 percent every year until 2025.
According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, 5G is expected to be the fastest deployed mobile communication technology in history and is forecast to cover about 60 percent of the world’s population in 2026.
Síminn aims to reach nationwide coverage by the end of 2022. Síminn 5G’s deployment will begin by using of one of the legacy bands for low-band 5G, which enables wider coverage.
Erik Figueras Torras, CTO, Síminn, says: “Building on our good and long-standing partnership with Ericsson means that we’re able to foster innovation in new and exciting ways. With 5G we will be able to create new opportunities for Síminn, our customers, and the environment by adding even more value to our network infrastructure and services.“
He adds: “We can start looking even more at a digital future and capitalize on 5G-driven experiences from industry 4.0 opportunities to transforming how our customers and travelers to Iceland interact with Iceland’s cultural and natural offering.”
Jenny Lindqvist, Head of Ericssom Northern and Central Europe, says: “This deal confirms the promising development of 5G in Iceland. As tourism is the most significant industry in Iceland, 5G opens up a range of opportunities, particularly in the areas of audiovisual and augmented reality. We’ve already seen innovative benefits with immersive outdoor and digital experiences. It also positions Síminn as a reliable provider of 5G and gives their customers the confidence that they are getting best-in-class technology and service.”
