e& Collaborates with Ericsson to Build Sustainable Networks in UAE
Ericsson
e&, which used to be called Etisalat Group, collaborates with Ericsson through its telecom arm etisalat by e&, which is the brand for e&'s telecom business in the United Arab Emirates. Together, they will work on a big project to expand the service provider's network and make it use less energy by putting in the latest Ericsson Radio System portfolio across the network. The two-year project is in line with e&’s Sustainability Strategy, launched in July 2022.
During the initial deployment phase, Ericsson's dual-band Radio 6626 used up to 52% less energy than radios that had been used before. For sites equipped with four LTE carriers, the energy consumption reduction is equivalent to 7.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions per site per year.
Ericsson's cutting-edge 5G mid-band radios are being used to expand 5G networks, which has made them 20% more energy efficient than the previous generation of radios.
The expansion will help Etisalat develop its radio access network (RAN) and support efforts to break the energy curve, which is important for lowering the company's carbon footprint in the region.
Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO), Etisalat UAE, said:
“Building a brighter digital future for all begins with placing our people, customers, and the environment at the heart of our business. We have remained committed to our sustainability aspirations with resilience despite the changes witnessed in the ever-evolving business landscape over the last few years. We want to keep our network's effect on the environment to a minimum by looking for solutions that are good for the environment and improve performance. The energy consumption reduction witnessed by deploying the enhanced Ericsson Radio System is part of our strategy to build a more sustainable infrastructure across the country.”
Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit e& at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, said:
"Sustainability is a big part of what we do, and since we're at the forefront of network innovations, we're helping the telecom industry as a whole use less energy and leave less of a carbon footprint. Our tried-and-true innovative radios will enable Etisalat by e& provide optimal network performance to end users as their infrastructure evolves to be more sustainable. Moreover, the energy reduction in our radios will aid etisalat by e& in significantly cutting down operational expenditure and make significant contributions to our net zero targets.”
Ericsson and etisalat by e& have been actively exploring sustainable network solutions and have also hosted a sustainability-themed event last year at the Swedish Pavilion at Expo 2020. This latest partnership is set to support etisalat by e& in sustainably transitioning from a traditional telecom operator into an integrated digital solutions provider, propelling the company's vision to digitally empower societies.
Source: Ericsson
