Ericsson partners with Singtel to boost mobile user experience with small cells deployment

 Ericsson partners with Singtel to boost the mobile experience in high-traffic hotspots

 Ericsson’s broad range of small cells portfolio, including the pico RBS 6402 and the Radio Dot System, will be deployed across Singapore to provide additional mobile capacity

 Small cells in over 100 locations will enable Singtel customers to enjoy a seamless, robust mobile broadband experience 

Ericsson and Chelsea FC join forces for football and technology. Chelsea FC  players from left:  Alvaro Morata, Lewis Baker, Thibaut Courtois, and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Ericsson has announced a partnership with Singtel to deploy small cell solutions, including the pico RBS 6402 and the Radio Dot System, across Singapore to boost mobile user experience for Singtel customers in both indoor and outdoor high-traffic locations. Small cells will be deployed in over 100 locations across the island within this year, providing additional capacity to Singtel’s LTE-Advanced network.

Ericsson’s small cells solutions will allow connectivity to be provided to specific areas and closer to the users who need it. According to Ericsson, small Cells alone can improve the network performance in certain areas, while macro and small cells combined will deliver high per-user capacity and rate coverage everywhere, with the potential to improve performance in the macro network by offloading traffic generated in hotspots. With small cell deployment "filling in the gaps" as it were, Singtel customers will enjoy a seamless and enhanced mobile experience, up to 50% faster than current surfing speeds in those high-traffic locations. 

The small cells devices are 'plug and play', going live on the network automatically, and will increase network capacity in crowded environments – such as MRT station platforms, hawkers' centres and shopping malls. These are the deployment venues that are prioritised as mobile users in them often use data-heavy, video-centric applications on their devices. 

Ericsson's small cells solution includes palm-sized radio dots on the left, the RBS 6402 in the middle, and the outdoor microcell, the 2203 on the right. The RBS 6402 is a high performance indoor pico cell offering three standards (LTE, WCDMA and Wi-Fi), 10 frequency bands and up to 300 Mbps LTE carrier aggregation. 

According to Ericsson’s Mobility Report, total mobile traffic in Southeast Asia and Oceania is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 50% from 2016 to 2022. This growth is driven by rising smartphone penetration and increasing use of data-intensive applications such as video streaming. Singapore has almost 100% smartphone penetration rate, one of the highest in the world.

Raymond Soh, Head of Network Solutions, Ericsson Singapore, Brunei & Philippines said: “Singaporeans want to stay connected using their digital devices wherever they go. Operators worldwide are beginning to see the value of small cell solutions to take their network performance to the next level, which in turn drives consumer loyalty. Our strong partnership with Singtel will enable a superior mobile broadband experience in Singapore.”

Ericsson’s small cells deployment forms a complete heterogeneous solution by coordinating with the existing macro network to enable seamless mobility, load balancing and peak performance through one single network management. The Ericsson small cells solution covers both indoor and outdoor capacity needs through cellular, Wi-Fi technologies, and future introduction of unlicensed band technology such as License Assisted Access (LAA). The solution includes Ericsson’s Radio Dot System (RDS), micro radio 2203, 2205 and the RBS 6402. The agreement will also include the progressive expansion of Singtel Wi-Fi hot spots.

Tay Yeow Lian, MD, Networks, Consumer Singapore said: “Network innovation is key to meeting the connectivity needs of our customers today. Our partnership with Ericsson to deploy small cells reaffirms our commitment to ensure Singtel customers continue to enjoy the best indoor and outdoor mobile user experience.”

The partnership with Singtel was announced as part of an experience event with Chelsea Football Club. Ericsson and Singtel engineers teamed up against Chelsea Football Club players Alvaro Morata, Cesar Azpilicueta, Lewis Baker and Thibaut Courtois in a game of EA SPORTS FIFA 17 played online over a cellular network to demonstrate how superior mobile broadband performance can enhance user experience. 

Ericsson and Singtel engineers teamed up against Chelsea Football Club players in a game of EA SPORTS FIFA 17 played online over a cellular network to demonstrate how superior mobile broadband performance can enhance user experience. Watch the Instavideo

Another view: Chelsea Football Club players in a game of EA SPORTS FIFA 17 played online over a cellular network to demonstrate how superior mobile broadband performance can enhance user experience. There was no noticeable lag in the game, which was played by eight people at the same time. They later demonstrated the same game being played on mobile phones.

Earlier this month, Ericsson was unveiled as the connectivity partner for Stamford Bridge – Chelsea Football Club’s home stadium in London, UK which involves Ericsson designing, building and operating a carrier-grade Wi-Fi network on the customer’s behalf, based on a small cells-as-a-service model. Ericsson supplies similar products and services to stadia in other sports and countries.

Soh said, “The technology, which we are deploying in London is similar to the innovations we are delivering to enhance the mobile broadband experience for Singaporeans, and so it was wonderful to have this exchange of talent between the leaders in football and in ICT."

Chris Townsend, Chelsea FC Commercial Director said: “It has been a fantastic experience for the team to visit Singapore and exchange skills with some of the key talent from our newest partner- Ericsson, which is making our Connected Stadium a reality. The passion shown for football and Chelsea by the Ericsson engineers, as well as the Singaporean people, is incredible. It has been one of the highlights of the tour. Additionally, no matter where the team has been in Singapore during this tour, from the MRT to visits to some of the many attractions, there has always been amazing mobile internet and connectivity.”

Interested?

Watch the Instavideo of the Chelsea FC players in the live ball skills challenge:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXDClaxlmlR/?taken-by=techtradeasia
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXDCiIYlRbY/?taken-by=techtradeasia
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXDBu2xFdfF/?taken-by=techtradeasia
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXDBl2gF4Dy/?taken-by=techtradeasia

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