MegaFon prepares for 5G with Ericsson’s microwave transport solution

Russian operator MegaFon has chosen Ericsson to develop a new nationwide transport network.

As part of the 3-year contract, Ericsson will supply mobile transport solutions based on the Mini-Link platform offering key advantages such as high capacity, efficient use of spectrum, low-energy consumption and simplified operations and maintenance.

With recent technological advances in microwave system software and new radio hardware, microwave transport capacity has moved from megabit-per-second capacity to gigabit-per-second capacity. According to Ericsson’s Microwave Outlook Report 2018, 40% of global backhaul connections are expected to be based on microwave by 2023.

Sebastian Tolstoy, Head of Ericsson in Russia, says: “This deal means that MegaFon is building the infrastructure for its future 5G network. In close partnership with Ericsson, MegaFon will develop and deploy its breakthrough network with a new level of capacity, speed, and quality – allowing it to create and offer completely new services to customers and businesses.”

Ericsson has invested continuously in its microwave technology, adding 5G-ready microwave products to its market-leading Mini-Link portfolio. Key features of the Mini-Link 6000 portfolio for 6-38 GHz include a high density of radio interfaces (up to 15 radio directions in 3RU), superior system gain enabling higher capacities, and longer hops or small antennas.