Ericsson and SmarTone, the leading mobile network operator in Hong Kong, are trialing FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) Massive MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology as part of the operator's network evolution plan towards 5G.

Having transformed Istanbul into a 'city brand', Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) has signed a cooperation agreement for a smart city consultancy project with Ericsson. Under the umbrella of the Istanbul Informatics and Smart City Technologies (ISBAK AŞ) company, the IMM and Ericsson will work together to achieve Istanbul's smart city vision and 2024 targets.

Saudi telecom operator Mobily (Etihad Etisalat) has awarded Ericsson a modernization contract to upgrade its access network in the western region of Saudi Arabia, deploying the latest features of the Ericsson Radio System.

Tech heavyweights like Google, Facebook and Microsoft have invested in AI research and development in Canada and most recently, Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson announced the launch of its “global artificial intelligence accelerator” in Montreal. The specialized lab will focus on “using AI and automation technologies to create data-driven, intelligent products and services” - work that will specifically impact 5G networks, the company said.

Japanese automotive manufacturer DENSO Corporation, along with Ericsson, Intel Corporation, Japanese telecom company NTT DOCOMO and Toyota announced that they have initiated the formation of the Automotive Edge Computing Consortium.

Ericsson has published its latest ConsumerLab report, From Healthcare to Homecare. The report reveals consumer insights into the impact of 5G on the future of healthcare and its transformation across preventative, routine, and post-operative care.

Pirelli is the first tyre company in the world to transmit information detected by intelligent tyres regarding the road surface via the 5G network. In Turin today, the company presented the “World-first 5G enhanced ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) services” use case.

Qualcomm Technologies, Verizon and Ericsson together successfully surpassed the Gigabit speed barrier, Ericsson said in a statement on August 21. The companies achieved an industry first with commercial silicon and network infrastructure with 1.07Gbps download speeds using Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE Modem, the first to support Category 18 LTE, during an Ericsson lab trial.

Together with MTS, the largest mobile network operator in Russia, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, Ericsson has conducted the first successful live trial with a commercial small cell product of Rel-13 Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology in Russia.

MTS, the largest telecommunications operator in Russia, and Ericsson, have agreed to upgrade the network of MTS. Ericsson will deliver the newest software features that will be continuously developed during the next three years.

Singtel and Ericsson will jointly establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) to facilitate 5G development and deployment in Singapore. 5G, the next-generation mobile network technology, is expected to roll out globally from 2020 and will deliver massive connectivity, ultra-low latency, gigabit speeds, and enable advanced applications such as smart cities, Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles.

Singtel announced plans to deploy Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) technology commercially on its LTE-Advanced mobile network, to enhance mobile data speed experience by up to 200% at special events for its customers. A precursor to 5G technology, Massive MIMO is an advanced solution used to boost network capacity in highly dense environments.

At Mobile World Congress Americas, US telecom provider Sprint and Ericsson unveiled the results of the first US 2.5GHz Massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) field tests conducted in Seattle, Washington and Plano, Texas using Sprint's spectrum and Ericsson's 64T64R (64 transmit, 64 receive) radios.

Swedish telecom provider Telia is deploying the first public 5G live network use cases in Europe in collaboration with Ericsson and Intel. This includes a high-speed 5G connection to a commercial passenger cruise ship delivering internet connectivity to the ship and its passengers while in port, and an industrial use case featuring a construction excavator remotely controlled with a live 5G network.

In a US wireless industry first, Verizon, Ericsson, and Qualcomm Technologies announced on August 2 they reached 953 Mbps (just under 1 gigabit per second) in a joint commercial network deployment in Boca Raton, Florida. While lab tests have shown comparable speeds in recent months, this is the fastest announced speed achieved in a real-world, dynamic network environment leveraging Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology.

UK telecommunications colossus Vodafone has partnered with Swedish vendor Ericsson to trial next-generation 5G technology in Ireland’s capital city Dublin. Vodafone has claimed that the trial was a success and the pilot represents the very first live 5G test of the emerging technology in Ireland.