Ericsson – KigaliTech

MTN Rwanda and Ericsson drive leading connectivity solutions for Rwanda’s progress

MTN Rwandacell (MTN Rwanda) Chief Executive Officer Mitwa Ng’ambi met with Ericsson’s Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Strategy, Erik Ekudden, on the side lines of the annual Broadband Commission meeting where they discussed their long-term partnership. Over the years, this partnership has seen the establishment of various services and products within MTN Rwanda and Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd closing the digital divide and propelling financial inclusion.

MTN has been working with Ericsson on enhancing consumer experience through Ericsson’s Managed Services Solutions. One of these services includes MTN’s modernized Network Operating Centre (NOC) that has been implemented to manage end-to-end monitoring of MTN network. Through the NOC, MTN Rwanda’s Network Operations Center and the Incidents Management tools are automated, improving network operations efficiency and boosting customer experience.

Mitwa Ng’ambi, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer stated “Ericsson has been a close and prominent partner over the last two decades in Rwanda. Their services have enabled us to pivot from product to platform, aligning seamlessly with our overarching strategy to provide the largest and most valuable platforms by delivering on 100% network coverage, and bridging the digital and financial gaps currently present. We look forward to achieving these ambitious targets for the betterment of our customers and stakeholders because we believe that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life.”

In addition to telecommunication services, Ericsson has enabled Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd with a platform for digital financial services such as Basic services (P2P, Cashin, Cashout & Airtime Purchase) and Advanced payments (MoMoPay, OpenAPI), Loans & Savings, Bill Payments and Remittances.

Erik Ekudden, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Strategy, said “We are proud of the relationship we’ve built with MTN Rwanda and the opportunities we’ve had to be part of the nation’s social and economic progress. We’ve collaborated on a number of initiatives that ranged from network modernization to enhancing consumer experience. We remain ever committed to continue working together on exploring solutions that increase social and financial inclusion here in Rwanda. Together, we can accelerate the nation’s digital transformation journey.”

This mutually beneficial partnership continues to steer MTN Rwanda’s digital transformational journey by providing innovative technologies and ecosystems that also consist of socioeconomic development for the communities we serve.

www.ericsson.com

www.mtn.co.rw

Ericsson Innovation Awards 2022 invites university students to tackle sustainability challenges

Ericsson is inviting university students the world over to propose innovative technology solutions to help tackle sustainable development challenges. Impact Our Sustainable Future is the theme of the Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) 2022 challenge, with more than EUR 50,000 in prizes up for grabs.

Heather Johnson, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, says: “There are less than 10 years until the conclusion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and it will take a collective effort from all sectors of society to achieve them. Ericsson is a champion of the role technology and innovation can play in scaling sustainable development efforts.

She adds: “University students around the world are among the most passionate and determined advocates of the need for action to meet global sustainability challenges. That’s why we’ve chosen sustainability as the focus of this year’s Ericsson Innovation Awards to help catalyze action.”

Participating university teams are asked to take inspiration from the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to identify a sustainability challenge to tackle with a technology solution that can make a lasting change.

Interested teams of two-to-four students currently enrolled in university studies should submit team names and ideas by 13.00 (CEST), August 5, 2022.

As an extra incentive, the first seven submissions per region as of 13.00 (CEST), June 16, 2022, will have the opportunity to access extra support and feedback from Ericsson mentors.

Johnson adds: “Imagination is the only limit to the range of ideas that can be submitted. From past Ericson Innovation Awards’ experiences, we know that university student talent is exceptional in proposing and developing creative solutions.”

Prizes

Overall winner: EUR 25,000
As a Nobel International partner, Ericsson will also offer the winning team the opportunity to join a virtual conversation with a Nobel Prize laureate.

Overall runner-up: EUR 15,000
Overall third place: EUR 5,000

Social Media Prize: EUR 2,000
The three finalists’ ideas will be uploaded to @inside_ericsson Instagram. A public vote – in the last 24 hours before the Grand Finale – will determine which team who wins the EUR 2,000.

Regional winners
Each of the seven regional winners will receive EUR 1,000.

In some cases, additional special recognition and prizes will be offered from the respective region.

The 14 semi-finalists, including the regional winners, will receive eight weeks of comprehensive mentorship from Ericsson experts in innovation and business, as well as recognition on Ericsson’s social and digital media channels.

Further details, including registration information, is available on the Ericsson Innovation Awards site.

www.ericsson.com

Telstra collaborates with Ericsson and Microsoft to begin 5G-enabled edge compute trials

The 5G SDWAN enabled Edge solutions focused on extending private connectivity (5G and fixed) and cloud services to the customer and network edge, bringing compute, storage, network and marketplace services closer to customers.

With early adopter enterprises such as FKG Group, Telstra is co-developing the enterprise application solutions to be offered, and testing the resiliency and scaling in order to accommodate different enterprise footprints.

Telstra is exploring the solution in its Telstra Retail store environment rolling out a smart video solution to simplify operations and enhance the overall customer experience.

The Edge solution uses a mixture of technologies including Telstra’s advanced 5G network, fixed connectivity, Ericsson’s Service Orchestration Cradlepoint (5G connectivity device), Microsoft Azure Stack Edge for Edge compute and SD-WAN, all enabled by automation and service orchestration.

Nikos Katinakis, Group Executive for Network & IT at Telstra said, “Our global collaboration now extends to our enterprise customers, and we are applying a real focus on the use of these advanced technologies to solve customer and industry operational problems.”

“These ground-breaking results are being achieved as we develop a combined, automated solution framework for the future.  We are making our network smarter, more resilient and automated, while leveraging the benefits and scale of new and advanced 5G network and cloud architectures.”

The end-to-end solution, offered as a managed service from Telstra Purple, will be able to deliver fast and resilient connectivity, with greater availability and throughput, which is ideal for enhanced application performance. These applications help customers implement their cloud-first, IoT enablement and advanced analytics strategies.

Grant Statton, Head of Innovation and Growth for the FKG Group said, “Technology solutions such as Edge compute will change the construction industry and its value chain for the better.

“Our collaboration with Telstra enables the FKG Group to use applications such as AI, Robotics and AR to unlock data-driven insights and transparency across our operation. The Edge solution gives our teams the opportunity to collaborate and make decisions in real-time across different worksites to deliver projects on time and within budget.”

Jan Karlsson, Ericsson’s Global Head of Digital Services said: “Ericsson has a proud history of delivering innovation to offer businesses a whole new world of opportunities through enhanced connectivity. In this latest Australian-first milestone, Ericsson technology provides Telstra’s 5G network with greater resiliency, optionality, and adaptability. With a simple design, scalable delivery, and modular approach, Telstra can offer a wider range of services to meet the growing needs of their customers as 5G use-cases continue to emerge.”

Shawn Hakl, Vice President, 5G Strategy, Azure for Operators at Microsoft, said, “Our collaboration with Telstra and Ericsson to develop 5G-enabled edge solutions will drive operational flexibility and optimization for enterprises by using Microsoft Azure and Azure-managed edge compute.”

www.ericsson.com

Ericsson pledges to support one million young people by 2025 with access to digital learning and skills

Ericsson announces a major new commitment to empower one million children and young people by 2025 through access to digital learning, tools, content and development programs.

This commitment forms part of the World Economic Forum-aligned EDISON Alliance 1 Billion Lives Challenge – a global movement of forty-five champions from the public and private sectors.

The members, including Ericsson, are committed to prioritizing digital inclusion as foundational to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that every person can fully participate in the digital economy and society.

The ‘1 Billion Lives Challenge’ brings together digital inclusion commitments from governments, companies and other organizations globally.

Ericsson’s new commitment will be unveiled today by company President and CEO, Börje Ekholm, in a virtual address to the Global Forum for Children and Youth. Ekholm will explain the criticality of the work to Ericsson in realizing its mission: to enable a world where limitless connectivity improves lives, redefines business and pioneers a sustainable future – a world where limitless connectivity means limitless possibility.

Building on a legacy of work in digital inclusion

Today’s commitment will be realized through Ericsson’s leading Connect To Learn initiative which has positively impacted more than 200,000 children and young people in more than 25 countries around the world since its foundation in 2010.

The initiative is enabling access to quality education for underserved and unconnected communities and establishing an inclusive digital platform with a focus on empowering the next generation with digital skills, essential for their socio-economic development. It also aims to improve gender equality by empowering women and girls through ICT.

Ericsson President and CEO, Börje Ekholm, says: “At the heart of Ericsson’s purpose is the belief that connectivity creates possibilities for all people. We believe it is a responsibility of government and business to work together to build a more equitable future for children and young people – digital connection is a critical enabler of this, ensuring that every young person has access to a quality internet connection and can acquire the necessary skills to thrive in a digital economy.”

He adds: “This is why we are making this pledge to help narrow the digital divide and create a more equitable society. This is the latest milestone for Ericsson’s Connect To Learn program, which has been working for over 10 years to advance digital inclusion. However, there is still much more to be done. We call on partners, customers, governments and NGOs to join us in pledging the resources needed to make a real, lasting difference.”

A long-term partnership with the EDISON Alliance

Ericsson’s commitment to the World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance 1 Billion lives challenge comes in addition to its partnership with UNICEF, in support of the Giga Initiative. The Giga Initiative is a partner of the EDISON alliance and aims to connect every school to the internet by 2030 and every young person to information, opportunity, and choice.

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MTN Rwanda selects Ericsson for network and IT operational excellency

MTN Rwanda has selected its longtime partner Ericsson, to deploy a Network Operations Center (NOC). The five-year contract will support MTN Rwanda to focus on enhancing consumer experience through Ericsson’s Managed Services solution that will deliver an automation-driven Information Technology (IT) operations.

Ericsson will provide NOC for a range of MTN Rwanda’s applications and the corresponding IT Infrastructure to support critical business segments and enhance operational efficiency.

The new agreement is an important milestone in MTN Rwanda’s modernization and digital transformation journey. Through the NOC, MTN Rwanda’s Network Operations Center and the Incidents Management tools will be automated enabling further business opportunities.

Eugen Gakwerere, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Rwanda says: “Our latest collaboration with Ericsson in deploying the network operations center is further testament of our long-term partnership. MTN Rwanda embraces digital transformation to maximize efficiencies and to improve service. In deploying and implementing this solution, Ericsson is supporting us in our digital transformation journey which is essential to us providing next generation services to our customers.”

Nicolas Blixell, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit MTN and Customer Unit MTN Africa at Ericsson Middle East and Africa says: “The five-year agreement is a recognition of our operational performance as MTN Rwanda’s trusted partner for decades and also in our efforts to propel #AfricaInMotion. Automation is paving a new path on MTN Rwanda’s digital transformation journey. Utilizing Ericsson’s network operations center, we are able to support MTN Rwanda’s focus on accelerating their digital transformation plans and empower Rwanda’s digital agenda.”

The Ericsson Managed Services contract to run the NOC with MTN Rwanda is the latest milestone in their long-term strategic partnership. MTN Rwanda selected Ericsson as the partner to launch its GSM mobile system networks with Core and Transmission solutions in 1998. In 2009, MTN Rwanda launched its 3G network through Ericsson and in 2013 launched Ericsson’s Mobile Money platform.

www.ericsson.com

Ericsson enables smarter networks that learn and improve

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) launches its Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) solution, based on smarter data-driven networks that learn and improve. Ericsson’s NWDAF enables service providers to improve customer experience by using the data generated by the network to flag and fix problems, thus improving service quality.

For 5G, automation is a continuous endeavor ranging from automating specific simple and complex tasks to supporting zero-touch autonomous networking, which requires the application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and reasoning. NWDAF achieves this by getting the right data at the right cost to feed into the AI/ML models.

NWDAF enhances network operability by providing insight that helps the service provider identify and solve network problems on different levels as well as input for taking valued business decisions. One example is automated closed loops (data retrieval, analytics processing, insights generation and action enforcement) on different network and application levels.

Ericsson’s NWDAF can drive up to 45 percent reduction in OPEX and CAPEX compared with typical third-party NWDAF implementation with event exposure. Smart data acquisition allows more efficient integration and testing, simpler orchestration and optimal footprint.

Neil McRae, MD Architecture & Strategy, BT Group Chief Architect says: “At BT we connect for good and our customers increasing reliance on the network requires us to think differently. With Ericsson we are working on cloud native solutions for 5G Core architecture to support multiple generations of technologies and we see the need for greater automation and analytics to manage complex networks and ensuring the best quality experience for our customers. I’m pleased to see that Ericsson is launching NWDAF building upon Ericsson’s built-in software probes and Expert Analytics (EEA), a natural next step development to enhance closed loop automation and service assurance that could benefit BT’s Customer Network Experience (CNE) platform.”

Monica Zethzon, Head of Solution Area Packet Core, Ericsson, says: “Everything 5G, especially 5G Core networks, must be automated. Automation will improve operational efficiency, reduce time to market for new services and is required to handle the magnitude of tailor-made services that will be introduced with 5G. With the launch of NWDAF we build the automated closed loop and assurance, enabled by AI and machine learning, to leverage data-driven operation based on network data.”

James Crawshaw, Principal Analyst, Telco IT & Operations, Omdia, says: “Ericsson’s NWDAF adds intelligence to the 5G core, bringing new insights that enable automation and optimization. With this solution, Ericsson shows its technology leadership in 5G Core.”

NWDAF is a reusable set of microservices integrated into Ericsson’s cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core and in Ericsson Expert Analytics . Flexible deployment scenarios and model portability enable the NWDAF to be located both centrally and as a built-in NWDAF in the 5G Core products. NWDAF is based on 3GPP Release 17, defining a distributed network analytics architecture where inference and training, and data repository are separated.

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Orange selects Ericsson to ramp-up its mobile money service and accelerate financial inclusion in Africa

Ericsson’s Mobile Financial Services solution – is a leading financial services platform built on the latest security technologies and open architecture framework principles

Orange Money has grown rapidly since it was launched in 2008. The service is now available to more than 60 million subscribers in seventeen countries across Africa and the Middle East, where it facilitated more than EUR 62 billion in transactions in 2020 alone.

The offering provides financial services through a flexible and simple mobile phone interface, without the need for a bank account. Orange Money customers can securely store, transfer and withdraw money and pay merchants and utility providers, among other essential financial services.

Orange Middle East and Africa will deploy Ericsson’s Mobile Financial Services solutions in phases across fourteen of the countries in its Orange Money footprint, starting with Senegal.

Ericsson’s solution will provide a more agile and compliant IT architecture to enhance performance in managing the flow of transactions.

By strengthening Orange’s core mobile money platform, Ericsson will help promote financial inclusion and economic development across these countries.

More than 300 million people worldwide currently use Ericsson’s Wallet Platform solutions, delivered by communications service providers.

Alioune Ndiaye, Chairman and CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa says: “Stable, secure, reliable and compliant mobile financial services are fundamental to building the foundations of economic growth for many people in Africa. As we continue to work to support our customers and enhance the services offered to them, we are very pleased to work with Ericsson as their financial services platform is built upon the latest security technologies and open architecture framework principles which can further expand our ecosystem and achieve our vision of financial inclusion in Africa.”

Fadi Pharaon, President Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “This is a new milestone in our long-standing partnership with Orange Middle East and Africa. With Ericsson’s industry leading and state-of-the-art Mobile Financial Services Platform, this partnership enables Orange Middle East and Africa to achieve its vision to accelerate financial inclusion in Africa. This anchors Ericsson’s technology leadership position in offering the most advanced and innovative Mobile Financial Services and further contributing to the economic development of Africa.”

www.ericsson.com

Google Cloud and Ericsson partner to deliver 5G and Edge cloud Solutions

Google Cloud and Ericsson announced a partnership to jointly develop 5G and edge cloud solutions to help communications service providers (CSPs) digitally transform and to unlock new enterprise and consumer use cases.

Globally, industries with edge presences – including communication service providers, retailers, manufacturers, transport businesses, healthcare and media/entertainment providers – face pressures to build more digitized businesses and new digital experiences for their customers.

To help businesses address this shift, Google Cloud and Ericsson are working together to develop new solutions at Ericsson’s Silicon Valley D-15 Labs, a state-of-the-art innovation center where advanced solutions and technologies can be developed and tested on a live, multi-layers 5G platform.

Ericsson and Google Cloud have already completed functional onboarding of Ericsson 5G on Anthos to enable telco edge and on-premise use cases for CSPs and enterprises.

As part of the partnership, Google Cloud and Ericsson are also piloting enterprise applications at the edge on a live network with TIM. The project, which will automate the functions of TIM’s core 5G network and cloud-based applications, will use TIM’s Telco Cloud infrastructure, Google Cloud solutions and Ericsson’s 5G core network and orchestration technologies.

The joint offerings will help enterprises in the automotive, transportation, manufacturing and other sectors improve efficiencies and lower latency by bringing connectivity close to companies’ physical locations.

Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud, says: “Organizations have a tremendous opportunity to digitally transform their businesses with 5G and cloud capabilities like artificial intelligence and machine learning at the edge. We are proud to partner with Ericsson to help build a foundation for communications service providers and enterprises alike to take advantage of cloud technology and cloud-native services, from telecom network core to the edge and enterprise premises.”

Niklas Heuveldop, President and Head of Ericsson North America, says: “5G is a powerful innovation platform. Combined with edge cloud capabilities, 5G has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of virtually any sector of industry or society. We are excited about our partnership with Google Cloud as we engage with our customers to leverage our combined capabilities to solve real-world business challenges for the benefit of consumers, enterprises and society at large.”

Ericsson and Google previously formed a services partnership to enable the digital transformation of operator networks and application migration through cloud-native, container-based solutions.

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Ericsson launches private 5G set to transform secure on-site connectivity

Ericsson launched Ericsson Private 5G. It offers secure and simple 4G LTE and 5G Standalone (SA) connectivity primarily targeting but not limited to manufacturing, mining and process industry, offshore and power utilities, as well as ports and airports.

Ericsson Private 5G optimizes and simplifies business operations with cloud-based network management, keeps sensitive data on-premise, has zero downtime upgrades and guarantees high performance through Service-Level Agreements (SLAs).

It is easily installed within hours at any facility and can be scaled to support larger coverage areas, more devices and higher capacity when needed. The product is designed to be flexible and will support a range of deployment sizes, depending on requirements, to suit varied needs. Businesses can manage their networks and integrate with IT/OT systems via an open API.

Ericsson Private 5G builds upon Ericsson’s 4G/5G radio and dual mode core technology, enabling a wide variety of use cases for both indoor and outdoor environments while integrating well with business operations, devices and applications. As a result, companies can improve productivity, give their customers more value and provide better working environments for employees.

Innovative use cases include tracking assets and real-time automation to improve productivity in warehouses, and a digital twin that can help to optimize manufacturing operations. Efficient quality inspections can also be performed via augmented reality or smart surveillance drones to increase worker safety, particularly in potentially hazardous environments such as ports and mines.

Ericsson already has a significant track record of operational 4G and 5G private network deployments with customers worldwide. Ericsson Private 5G builds on the success of that solution portfolio and deployment insights, as well as insights from projects such as 5G-Industry Campus Europe.

Peter Burman, Program Manager Mine Automation, at Swedish mining company Boliden, says: “Automation, and safety through automation in our mining operations is an absolute must for us. Ericsson Private 5G is exactly what Boliden needs to bring high quality, fast and secure connectivity into potentially hazardous environments allowing us to mobilize efficiency and safety improving use cases.

Niels König, Coordinator 5G-Industry Campus Europe, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT: “Private 5G networks are highly attractive for producing companies because of the uncompromised performance that 5G can bring, allowing them to tackle the challenges of production. Efficiently deploying and using network solutions in enterprises requires simplicity in installation, flexibility in connecting to existing production IT and lean operations while at the same time being able to scale the network to meet future challenges. Ericsson Private 5G delivers exactly these capabilities.”

Leo Gergs, Senior Analyst, ABI Research, says: “With this new offering, Ericsson will be able to address key trends in the enterprise cellular market. The value proposition will appeal to operators and service providers as the solution hides technology complexity and therefore reduces the barrier of entry to deployment for many different flavors of enterprise networks.”

Thomas Noren, Head of Dedicated Networks, Business Area Technologies and New Businesses, Ericsson, says: “With Ericsson Private 5G, we take the best of Ericsson’s current portfolio and top it up with the best of our new technology. We do this to give businesses what they need to improve productivity, enable new offerings and give employees a better working environment. With Ericsson Private 5G, we also give operators a better way to serve business customers and leverage their assets – in short, to grow beyond mobile broadband.”

www.ericsson.com