Beeline and Ericsson have struck a two-year partnership that covers the development and deployment of 5G and IoT technologies.
Under the agreement, the two companies will focus primarily on improved spectrum utilisation and efficiency, and implementing new approaches to network architecture, including the evolution of Beeline’s core network to a 5G core. Ericsson and Beeline will also deploy massive MIMO on the latter’s mobile network and develop 5G demonstration clusters.
They will also put in some groundwork to prepare Beeline’s mobile network for 5G, such as rolling out the latest LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro technology.
When it comes to the IoT side of the agreement, Ericsson and Beeline will focus on proof-of-concept testing. To that end, the companies will explore the possibility of opening an IoT Accelerator Lab for developers of NB-IoT and LTE-M-based products and services.
“For our company, as a major market player, it is important to prepare Beeline network for advanced technologies that require a new architecture that is fundamentally different from previous generations. We are upgrading our network together with our partners and developing new services to provide our customers access to the best and modern Beeline network,” said Vasyl Latsanych, CEO of PJSC VimpelCom, Veon’s Russia subsidiary and parent of the Beeline brand.
“By 2021, we will be trialling key 5G technologies, deploying IoT technological clusters and developing new approaches to network architecture to enable 5G services on VimpelCom’s network,” added Sebastian Tolstoy, Head of Ericsson in Russia. “Our partnership will accelerate VimpelCom’s network innovations on the way to 5G, improve the quality of service, and enable new customer services to be offered based on LTE.”