Ericsson Announces Complete WCDMA Radio Access Network Product Portfolio for 3G - Product Announcement

Cambridge Telcom Report, Feb 28, 2000

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERICY) Wedneday unveiled its complete range of WCDMA Radio Access Network products at CeBIT 2000. Elements on show are the macro base station, RBS 3202; plug-in WCDMA transceiver unit and remote radio unit; and innovative mangement systems, including the radio and transport network planning tool kit, TRAM.

The RBS 3202 is the first base station to be announced in a complete family of indoor and outdoor macro, mini, micro and pico WCDMA base stations which will cover all network requirements.

Ericsson's plug-in WCDMA transceiver units can be easily installed together with remote radio units on existing GSM radio base station sites, enabling operators to rapidly create coverage of 3G services where demand is high. They may then later expand coverage and capacity as demand for services continues to take off. Co-siting and re-use are cornerstones of Ericsson's WCDMA network offering. Ericsson has been supplying GSM systems already prepared for WCDMA since 1995.

Ericsson's base stations and the Radio Network Controllers which manage network resources are built on Ericsson's realtime IP and ATM packet switching platform. The RNC 3810 controller is scalable to cover requirements ranging from a limited number of users in, for example, rural areas, to as many as a million users in cities.

The same packet switching platform is also used for media gateways, IP routers and ATM switches. Hardware and software modules make it easy for operators to modify functionality and increase capacity. Using the same platform for several types of nodes also translates into substantial cost savings in operation, maintenance, training and spare parts management.

The RANOS (Radio Access Network Operation and Support) software package takes care of day-to-day operation and maintenance. It collects and evaluates network events in realtime, provides interfaces for transferring information from network elements to the network management layer, performs administration tasks, and offers a consolidated view of the network in several graphical formats. A variety of standard interfaces and protocols allow integration with already existing management systems.

The TRAM (Tools for Radio Access Management) suite of software helps plan, design, expand, monitor and fine-tune both radio networks and transport networks. The tools work together and exchange data, with each other and with RANOS. For example, results of radio network planning can be used as input for transport network planning, and configuration data can be downloaded directly to traffic nodes. TRAM also supports the efficient integration of GSM and WCDMA networks. In addition to advanced hardware and software, Ericsson offers all design services required to put them together to form the optimal network to provide high quality services at a competitive cost.

Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecom world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers.