In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review during the 18th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, Zoran Lazarevic, CTO of Ericsson MEA, delved into the transformative role of 5G mid-band deployment in enhancing user experiences across the Middle East and Africa, shed light on the company’s pioneering advancements in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), and outlined Ericsson’s strategic approach to legacy network retirement. He also touched on the game-changing potential of 5G-Advanced.
Ericsson’s 5G mid-band deployment is helping leading service providers significantly improve their user experience. Which key aspects are facilitating this improvement?
The key to improving user experience lies in deploying networks in the mid-band. To do so, we need sufficient spectrum, as dictated by the laws of physics. Typically, 100 MHz of carrier spectrum is essential for deployment. This serves as the foundation—without it, significant performance improvements cannot be achieved.
Once sufficient spectrum is secured, Ericsson’s unique capabilities come into play. Our long-term strategy is built on Ericsson Silicon, a purpose-built chip integrated into our radios and advanced antenna systems, enabling advanced product capabilities. By leveraging this purpose-built silicon, we deliver industry-leading radio equipment that maximizes spectrum efficiency and provides the best possible user experience.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is showcasing its potential in bridging the digital divide, especially in the Middle East and Africa region. Could you elaborate on how Ericsson MEA’s FWA solutions are specifically addressing this divide?
Fixed Wireless Access is a key solution for bridging the digital divide, particularly when combined with 5G and wide 100 MHz carrier spectrum, enabling fiber-like performance.
FWA offers significant advantages over fiber, including deployment speeds that are up to ten times faster and cost-effectiveness. In rural areas, particularly in regions across the Middle East and Africa, FWA often stands as the only feasible solution for delivering broadband connectivity. As a result, it is emerging as the dominant solution in these markets.
According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, the number of CSPs offering FWA continues to grow. Notably, most new FWA launches are happening in emerging markets, further cementing its role as a key solution for bridging the digital divide.
As the industry shifts to adopt 5G services in 2025, how should Middle East and African operators approach the retirement of legacy networks?
Managing multiple technologies is both challenging and often not cost-efficient. As a result, many of our customers are considering the sunset or retirement of legacy networks. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. For example, while some customers prioritize retiring 2G, others focus on phasing out 3G first. Currently, the global trend leans toward sunsetting 3G technology while maintaining a so-called thin-layer 2G.
To make informed decisions, CSPs must analyse the number of active 2G/3G devices and carefully evaluate the business models tied to these devices. This analysis will help determine the optimal technology to retire. It’s essential to approach the process methodically, with a well-structured, phased plan. Clear communication with end-users is critical to ensuring there is no degradation in services during the transition.
In certain regions, particularly in the GCC, government bodies play a supportive role in retiring legacy networks. At a national level, collective decisions are made regarding which technologies to phase out and the corresponding timelines. This collaborative approach ensures industry alignment and helps prevent suboptimal outcomes, such as customer churn, that could arise from isolated operator decision
What advancements and innovations will Ericsson bring to operators in the Middle East and Africa with the rollout of 5G-Advanced, and how will these technologies enhance the experience for end-users?
5G-Advanced is addressing one of the industry's persistent challenges: effectively monetizing 5G. When combined with 5G Standalone (5G SA), it unlocks capabilities that were not achievable with earlier technologies like 4G or even 5G Non-Standalone (5G NSA).
What sets 5G-Advanced apart is its ability to predict and guarantee radio network performance. This is made possible through unique radio features and innovations where Ericsson is leading the way, such as AI-powered and intent-driven radio networks.
For CSPs, these capabilities mean the ability to establish performance guarantees and service agreements that align with specific application and user demands. This, in turn, opens up new monetization opportunities by enabling performance-based business models, where revenue is directly tied to the specific capabilities and service quality delivered to end-users.
For end-users, 5G-Advanced translates into a superior experience, with more consistent performance, faster speeds, and lower latency across a wide range of applications. From enhanced mobile broadband to immersive applications such as AR/VR and critical services like smart cities or industrial IoT, users will benefit from more reliable and predictable network performance.
In essence, Ericsson's innovations with 5G-Advanced will empower CSPs in the Middle East and Africa to unlock the full potential of 5G, drive new revenue streams, and deliver a seamless, high-quality experience for end-users.
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