Ericsson invests in Athlone project to innovate 5G programmable networks
Ericsson has announced a EUR 200 million investment over the next three years in a pioneering 5G research, development, and innovation (RD&I) project at its Athlone facility in Ireland.
The initiative, backed by the Irish Government via IDA Ireland, will enable communications service providers (CSPs) to enhance operational efficiency and speed up the global rollout of 5G Standalone (SA) connectivity through differentiated offerings.
Aiming to deliver next-generation open network management and automation capabilities using AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics, the project will empower communications service providers (CSPs) to enhance 5G network performance, accelerate innovation cycles, and reduce costs through autonomous network operations.
The project will advance support for open, multi-vendor, disaggregated, and programmable network deployments. The investment will focus on the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP) and network-powered rApps, which are applications that automate radio access network management and optimisation.
EIAP is an open network management and automation platform for multi-vendor and multi-technology 4G and 5G Radio Access Networks (RAN), which is primarily designed at the Athlone site. The platform offers an open environment for developing and running rApps from any vendor and radio technology, enabling CSPs to easily introduce innovations from diverse technology partners. With extensive ecosystem support, this open framework for rApp development aims to accelerate the pace of RAN innovation through collaboration across an expanding partner network.
The substantial new investment underlines Ericsson’s commitment to Ireland as a strategic hub for research and development. Athlone serves as the designated centre of excellence for intelligent network management.
Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, TD, says: “Ericsson’s innovative R&D project, which will span a duration of three years, will improve efficiency in 5G networks globally. Ericsson has been established in Ireland for decades, with the Athlone facility a significant employer and an integral part of the fabric of the community for over 50 years.”
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