Ericsson to power Telstra’s programmable network for 5G growth

Telstra has announced a four-year partnership with Ericsson to upgrade its radio access network (RAN) with Open RAN-ready hardware and 5G Advanced software, making it the first telecom provider in the Asia-Pacific region to deploy a high-performing, programmable 5G network.

Under the agreement, Telstra will enhance its network with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, enabling self-detection and self-healing capabilities. The upgrade is expected to improve spectrum efficiency, increase 5G network capacity, and provide greater consistency in speed and reliability for customers.

Telstra’s investment in a programmable network will allow the company to offer tailored connectivity solutions, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach. The new network will also be integrated with network Application Programming Interfaces, APIs, enabling third-party developers to create innovative applications and services.

Vicki Brady, CEO of Telstra, said rising customer demand and growing mobile data consumption—having tripled in the past five years—necessitate a new approach to connectivity. "Through our partnership with Ericsson, we will evolve our offering and improve our spectrum use. This will enable us to deliver better consistency of performance, reliability, and speed to millions of customers," she said.

What Does the Partnership include?

Ericsson’s contributions to the project include Open RAN-ready Massive MIMO radios, new RAN Compute solutions, and its Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP). EIAP will improve network management by using machine learning and AI to optimise operations, making the network more sustainable and efficient.

Highlighting the significance of programmable networks in driving digital transformation, Borje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, said, "This faster, more secure, and differentiated connectivity will transform consumer and enterprise experiences while enabling developers to create game-changing applications."

Telstra’s network upgrade will double 5G capacity, increase coverage, boost uplink and downlink speeds, and reduce energy consumption. The transformation is also expected to enhance enterprise services by offering differentiated connectivity experiences tailored to specific business needs.

The partnership builds on Telstra and Ericsson’s long-standing collaboration across multiple network domains, including core, optical, transport, and business support systems.

Additionally, Telstra’s 5G Advanced capabilities will play a central role in Aduna, a global network API venture announced in September last to create a global platform for developers to leverage telecom networks for innovative digital services. The founding members of Aduna include America Movil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone.