The IT Nerd

Customers of Australian communications service provider (CSP) 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 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 (Application Programming Interfaces). 

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. 

OTHER TELSTRA BENEFITS

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. 

MORE ON THE TECH

Solutions include Ericsson’s Open RAN-ready Massive MIMO radios and new RAN Compute solutions as well as Ericsson’s latest 5G Advanced subscriptions to deliver new services, drive operational efficiency, and increase performance. The scope also includes Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP), Ericsson’s open network management and automation platform for open, multi-vendor and multi-technology networks, supporting all 4G and 5G RAN. 

EIAP will improve network management and automation by leveraging EIAP and developer eco-system tools to create and deploy custom applications (rApps) that employ advanced automation techniques, including machine learning and AI, to optimize the network and deliver improved sustainable operations.

This latest partnership extension builds on Ericsson and Telstra’s long-standing collaboration across radio access networks, core, optical, transport and business support systems.

ADUNA

In addition to Ericsson and Telstra, the founding members of Aduna are América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone.

The venture was announced in September 2024, with the company name announced in January 2025.  It aims to combine and sell network APIs on a global scale to spur innovation in digital services.

Partners will open their networks to make advanced capabilities easily accessible to millions of developers world-wide, through a global platform for aggregated network APIs. This aim is to drive new use cases across multiple industries and sectors. 

JLR is accelerating industrial connectivity at its plant in Solihull, England, with the implementation of Ericsson Private 5G. This cutting-edge networking technology is enhancing the production of Range Rover vehicles by supporting business-critical applications such as vision systems, IoT sensors, and production tools. Leveraging Ericsson’s high-speed, low-latency, and secure private 5G solution, JLR is setting new standards in modern automotive manufacturing. 

The deployment of Ericsson Private 5G is a pivotal step for JLR in embracing Industry 4.0. JLR is creating a more agile and innovative manufacturing environment to support IoT devices, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation with an eye toward automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The limitations of traditional wired networks drove JLR to “cut the copper” by replacing those networks with Ericsson’s robust 5G capabilities, allowing for seamless and real-time data transmission. This transformation ensures that JLR’s manufacturing processes are not only connected but also agile and efficient, leading to streamlined operations. 

Private 5G is driving greater workflow efficiency at JLR, with manufacturing teams already sharing positive feedback. Through enhanced connectivity, maintenance and production managers can now turn data insights and simulations into tangible operational efficiencies with DataOps platforms such as Litmus. Consolidating and analyzing data empowers JLR decision-makers on the factory floor to quickly innovate and optimize manufacturing processes. Additionally, private 5G enables JLR to quickly swap and provision new or broken connected tools, significantly reducing downtime and enabling quicker modifications to the production line. 

Fujitsu has partnered with Ericsson to deliver the connectivity of this comprehensive, end-to-end private 5G-based operations at the Solihull plant. This collaboration paves the way for JLR to explore use cases at other sites in the future. 

Ericsson today announced the launch of the Cradlepoint X20 5G Router, enabling enterprise-class fixed wireless access (FWA) connectivity for small- to medium-sized and home-based businesses, temporary sites, and remote workers. The Ericsson Cradlepoint X20 delivers powerful, plug-and-play FWA 5G connectivity with advanced network slicing and security capabilities. Featuring cutting-edge routing, switching, and Wi-Fi 7, the X20 ensures robust, easy-to-maintain connectivity essential for critical business operations. Now enterprises can quickly deploy high-bandwidth 5G connectivity, with unprecedented reliability enabled by dual-SIM failover capabilities and an eight-hour battery backup. 

Organizations are increasingly seeking agile, scalable connectivity to keep pace with evolving digital demands. IDC reports that by 2026, 75 per cent of enterprises will have assigned all deployment responsibility, operational control, and technology innovation for at least one major network domain to a trusted management partner. With the availability and cutting-edge capabilities of the Cradlepoint X20, service providers can offer managed services with tiered service packages catering to diverse customer needs and differentiate themselves in a rapidly expanding market. 

Capabilities of the Cradlepoint X20 Router span different types of business use cases including the following: 

• Small-to-Medium Sized Businesses: The X20 5G Router provides SMBs, such as retail stores and small offices, with reliable, high-speed connectivity without traditional wired infrastructure. Easy installation and scalability allow businesses to enhance operations and adapt as they grow.
• Temporary Sites: Perfect for pop-up stores, mobile clinics, and construction sites, the X20 ensures rapid deployment and flexibility. Its wireless design supports critical operations with high-speed 5G connectivity in dynamic environments. 
• Remote Workers and Home-Based Businesses: Ideal for remote and hybrid workers, the X20 offers easy setup and portable, high-speed internet for seamless access to cloud applications, video calls, and collaborative tools. 

The Ericsson Cradlepoint X20 5G Router will be available in April 2025. For more information, visit https://cradlepoint.com/product/endpoints/x20/.  

 SailGP, the most exciting racing on water, is set to benefit from the fastest mobile connectivity possible as the SailGP F50 catamaran fleet teams up with Ericsson at iconic venues across the globe in 2025. 

Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions will provide teams and personnel with seamless, high-quality 5G connectivity, improving fan experiences and race operations. Additionally, the solutions will support SailGP umpires to adjudicate on race protocol through the enhanced capabilities of 5G-enabled live camera streaming from competing F50s and insights into team locations, tactics, and strategy. 

Split-second human responses across the various teams will make the difference between victory and defeat across the SailGP fleet. To support those decisions, each team will have access to the fastest connectivity possible under some of the most challenging physical conditions. Ericsson’s solutions deliver instant real-time data and statistical feedback, despite the F50s reaching speeds up to 100 km (about 62.14 mi) per hour over open waters. 

Ericsson’s Cradlepoint edge routers – installed in the wings of each F50 – are expected to handle more than 53 billion data points across the fleet per race day, including IoT, video and critical communications from competing boats connecting to Ericsson Private 5G during each race day. It was important that 5G connectivity solutions could be deployed across a diverse landscape and connect to multiple carriers. They also required a ruggedized edge router in each F50 that could withstand rough maritime conditions. For the safety of the athletes and the boat, neither may leave the dock until the F50 and its crew are fully connected and communicating.

SailGP initially worked with Ericsson and T-Mobile to test and deploy the Ericsson Private 5G solution over T-Mobile’s 5G spectrum at U.S. events in Season 4. The solution will be installed and deployed in all F50s and rolled out globally for the 2025 season. Key outcomes include:

• Performance Optimization: The real-time transport of extensive data between off- and on-shore teammates on boat speed, wind conditions, and other factors, allowing real-time data analysis to maximize speed and efficiency by adjusting sail settings and boat trim.
• Enhanced Tactical Decision-Making: The immediate availability of data on race position, course layout, and wind direction enables teams to make informed tactical decisions during races, such as choosing optimal sailing angles, deciding when to tack or gybe, and strategizing for mark roundings.
• Increased Fairness and Transparency: The real-time transportation of data directly and securely into Oracle Cloud (OCI) enables racers to share data with all teams, including boat speed, wind direction and course layout, and race position. This helps SailGP prevent any unfair advantages and promotes fair competition.
• Enhanced Spectator Engagement: Data sharing and improved bandwidth also enhance the spectator experience by providing insights into the intricacies of sailing tactics and strategy, making races more engaging and understandable for viewers.
  

You can learn more about how Ericsson’s 5G solutions support SailGP here.

Ericsson today announced the launch of its generative AI-based NetCloud Assistant (ANA). This next generation of ANA is a virtual expert designed to further simplify enterprise 5G network administration. Unlike traditional chatbots, which leverage search to provide links to existing resources, ANA stands out with the ability to read, understand, and generate new text and graphical content. ANA provides personalized responses by correlating information from multiple technical documents and unique insights from the customer’s network, transforming hours or even days of work into seconds. 

ANA is the first generative AI virtual expert designed for enterprise Wireless WAN (WWAN) networks, utilizing large language models, with all its AI components hosted entirely within Ericsson’s environment. This design ensures user and data privacy by avoiding API calls to third-party consumer generative AI applications. 

Key functionalities of ANA:  

• Knowledge Summarization: Correlates information from Ericsson’s library of technical documentations into concise summaries personalized to the customer’s network.
• Configuration Assistance: Accelerates Day 1 deployments with step-by-step guidance for WAN edge device configuration based on best practices.  
• Enhanced Troubleshooting: Automates common diagnostic tasks and provides step-by-step instructions to troubleshoot and resolve connectivity issues, speeding up mean time to repair. 
• Policy Recommendation: Future releases will translate business requirements into recommended SD-WAN and WAN bonding policies to enhance WAN performance and application availability.  
• Custom Graph Generation: Future releases will allow administrators to ask ANA to create detailed graphs that visualize more complex information not typically available in standard NetCloud dashboards or pre-canned reports. 

ANA complements Ericsson’s NetCloud AIOps dashboard which serves as a vital component in transforming network management. Through an intelligent fault management system, it detects performance-driven anomalies, such as latency and jitter, specific to each customer’s specific environment. By providing real-time insights into network performance, AIOps empowers IT teams to proactively address issues, leveraging ANA as needed, to ensure optimal network operations and enhance the overall digital experience. 

New ANA features and the NetCloud AIOps dashboard are available for demonstration at Ericsson’s NRF 2025 booth #3948. Both features will evolve to support Ericsson Private 5G solutions.  

For more details:  

• Read the blog post  
• Visit the webpage