From real-time 5G slice validation to next-gen AI RAN software program, Ericsson has highlighted quite a few improvements forward of MWC – spanning community efficiency, autonomous operations, and 6G readiness; with collaborations from Ookla, Apple, MediaTek, Swisscom, and Mistral AI.
In sum – what to know:
Verified slicing – Ericsson and Ookla have an “industry-first” resolution to measure the efficiency of 5G slices, supporting SLA enforcement for customers and enterprises.
AI and automation – New AI-ready radios, antennas, and rApps, alongside Swisscom and AWS collaborations, purpose to drive Stage 4 autonomous networks and AI-assisted operations.
6G ecosystem demos – Ericsson will demo with Apple and MediaTek at MWC to showcase early 6G prototypes, spectrum sharing, and methods for AI-driven community optimization.
Numerous telco-types loaded up their PR canons final week, and let fly – together with Ericsson, which convened press and analysts in London for a MWC curtain raiser. Here’s a round-up of the Swedish vendor’s huge information from the occasion, and the week. We go in reverse order, beginning with the most recent information, and, in methods, essentially the most fascinating – which got here through a third-party, the truth is, and never through Ericsson itself. All of the product bulletins path product demos at MWC (March 2-5) in Barcelona subsequent week. Anyway, right here goes…
1 | Actual-time SLA verification for sliced 5G companies
Pace-test specialist Ookla has labored with Ericsson on an answer to measure and validate the efficiency of 5G community slices. They’ve referred to as it an “industry-first methodology”, which tackles lengthy‑standing points to watch high quality of service / expertise (QoS / QoE) with 5G SA community slices – to ship service-level agreements (SLAs) for differentiated client and enterprise propositions.
Ookla mentioned: “Conventional velocity assessments measure the default web connection. [This] methodology [identifies and tests] particular community slices. This… demonstrates how SLAs… can lastly be verified in real-time… Crucially, this places the facility of verification instantly into the arms of the [user], permitting them to make use of the Speedtest app to independently validate that the efficiency they’ve bought is being delivered as promised.”
Ookla additionally referred to as it a “pivotal first step” to ensure 5G slices. Tibor Rathonyi, senior advisor at Ookla, added: “Community slicing is not a future idea; it’s a business actuality. Nevertheless, you can’t handle what you can’t measure. Our work with Ericsson is a pivotal first step in offering the transparency wanted to show the worth of those premium 5G companies to each customers and enterprises.”
As a footnote, right here; Ookla additionally provided a useful description and abstract of community slicing, talked about without end, however nonetheless in its infancy. “The know-how permits operators to create a number of digital networks (slices) over a single bodily infrastructure, every tailor-made to particular necessities: ultra-low latency for gaming, high-bandwidth for 8K video streaming, mission-critical reliability for industrial IoT and emergency companies,” it mentioned.
Its MWC showcase will provide a “side-by-side comparability” (with SLA verifications, experiences, and proofs) to point out the efficiency hole between a typical 5G connection and a service-specific slice in a reside 5G community (Ericsson’s, on the Fira).
2 | Pre-standard 6G prototypes and spectrum sharing
Ericsson can even present “6G innovation and ecosystem readiness” with system maker Apple and chip maker MediaTek subsequent week at MWC. The trio will ship reside demos displaying developments in pre-standard 3GPP-based 5G and 6G spectrum sharing and 6G prototype methods, it mentioned. The latter can even (see above) embrace methods for validating “important 6G capabilities”, it added.
The demo with Apple is round multi-RAT spectrum sharing (MRSS) between 5G and 6G – to assist operators migrate from one to the following, and between the 2, post-2030. The train is about “coexistence, [and] minimizing useful resource waste and signaling overhead”, mentioned Ericsson. The demo will use two PoC methods – one on 5G and one simulating 6G – which might be related to a base station working in TDD mid-band spectrum.
In the meantime, the MediaTek demo will present how 6G cm-wave can meet new knowledge calls for, together with from sundry AI and URLLC apps. It would use early prototype RAN/UE methods (“radios and baseband processing as much as the IP layer”), constructed round anticipated 6G options. The prototype system integrates an RAN and a MediaTek UE prototype. “The demo features a carried out knowledge name and highlights contention-based buffer standing reporting,” mentioned Ericsson.
3 | Swisscom closes on Stage 4 community automation
Ericsson is working with Swisscom to additional automate the Swiss operator’s RAN infrastructure – in the direction of ‘Stage 4’ autonomy in “sure operational processes”. Stage 4, as outlined by TM Discussion board, permits decision-making primarily based on predictive evaluation or lively closed-loop administration through AI modeling and steady studying. The duo will “share progress” at MWC to “absolutely combine” RAN software program modules (rApps) into Swisscom’s business community.
Particularly, they may present three Ericsson-developed rApps, variously for cell/uplink anomaly detection and root trigger evaluation (Cell Anomaly Detector, Uplink Anomaly Detector ,and Anomaly Root Trigger Explainer). They can even preview a brand new O-RAN optimization software, RET Cell Shaper rApp, that dynamically adjusts a cell’s antenna tilt utilizing Distant Electrical Tilt (RET) to enhance protection, capability, and consumer expertise.
Swisscom is utilizing Ericsson’s automation platform, Ericsson Clever Automation Platform (EIAP), for AI administration of multi-vendor, multi-tech 4G/5G RAN methods. The EIAP platform consists of Ericsson’s non-real time RAN Clever Controller (RIC), the Ericsson Clever Controller (EIC), and an open SDK for operators to deploy software-based radio-application modules (rApps, within the O-RAN structure) to automate RAN capabilities.
Ericsson claims to have corralled an ecosystem of almost 90 members round its EIAP platform, together with Swisscom and 19 different service suppliers. It helps almost 90 rApps, it mentioned – with 25 from Ericsson. Philipp Bichsel, accountable for community and companies at Swisscom, mentioned: “Ericsson’s Clever Automation Platform and its ecosystem of rApps play an essential function in serving to us discover the potential of AI pushed automation.”
4 | Generative AI for community ops – with Mistral AI
Lined in RCR final week, however briefly (as written): Mistral AI and Ericsson are collaborating to use generative AI (gen AI) instruments to telecom community improvement and operations. Ericsson will act as a design associate, combining its community R&D experience with Mistral AI’s mannequin customization capabilities. The collaboration focuses on a number of operational and analysis use circumstances, together with automation of legacy code translation, AI-assisted improvement in 6G analysis, and the event of AI brokers to assist advanced workflows inside Ericsson’s Networks group.
5 | New Japan R&D hub for open programmable 5G
One other fast one: Ericsson’s new telecom R&D centre in Japan, introduced in Could 2025, might be situated in Yokohama, south of the capital Tokyo – near its services in Yokohama’s Minato Mirai 21 district. The positioning will give attention to superior radio {hardware} and software program – “programmable 5G networks, next-generation cell applied sciences, and open community architectures” – for the Japanese and world markets. It would begin operations in April, with its official inauguration within the first half of 2027, and recruitment below manner.
6 | Reimagining cash motion with Mastercard
Additionally quick, and simply because it’s not our on a regular basis beat, however… Ericsson has a take care of Mastercard to “reshape how cash strikes internationally”. It’s to combine its fin-tech platform (Fintech Platform) with Mastercard’s portfolio of cash motion options (referred to as Transfer). On the tech aspect, the venture is geared round APIs, and “cloud-native” and “compliance-ready” infrastructure. On the service aspect, it’s round “digital pockets capabilities, new fee companies, and unbanked or underbanked communities”.
Some backstory: “Monetary inclusion and accessibility are key focuses of the collaboration. Mastercard Transfer permits cash motion throughout 200 nations and territories, connecting greater than 17 billion endpoints, and supporting transactions in 150 currencies. Ericsson’s fintech platform operates in 22 nations, serving greater than 120 million lively customers and processing greater than 4 billion transactions each month throughout digital wallets, funds, remittances, lending, and loyalty companies – all backed by enterprise-grade safety.”
7 | AI-first radios, software program, antennas for higher effectivity
Additionally linked to (within the publication) final week, however in all probability the headline information: Ericsson has launched a flurry of portfolio additions, together with new RAN and antenna {hardware}, plus AI RAN software program resolution. These will combine AI extra deeply into its RAN methods, it mentioned – to optimise efficiency and power utilization, plus to assist better uplink efficiency and higher TCO.
Ericsson referred to as it an “AI-first strategy” to RAN {hardware} and software program – with new software program tweaks for beamforming, outside positioning, and “prompt protection prediction”, and new AI‑prepared radios with Ericsson-made silicon with neural community accelerators. Once more, all the pieces might be on present at MWC. The brand new portfolio is structured round “three pillars”: RAN {hardware} (“10 AI-ready radios”), RAN software program, and antennas (“5 high-performing” ones).
It lists the enhancements with every portfolio pillar, summarised as follows: expanded higher-power efficiency breakthroughs (RAN {hardware}); higher beamforming, positioning, protection prediction (as above), plus latency prioritisation (RAN software program); and higher spectrum utilization and website design with interleaved and passive items (antennas).
Mårten Lerner, head of networks technique at Ericsson, mentioned: “We’re embedding AI options throughout our full portfolio, introducing AI RAN software program options that ship revolutionary enhancements in spectral effectivity. We are actually taking the ultimate step to full AI enablement throughout our portfolio by introducing neural community accelerators in our main Large MIMO portfolio.”
8 | Enterprise 5G built-in into Home windows 11
One other NIB, simply because… properly, it’s a laptop computer: Ericsson has a joint improvement with Microsoft to combine superior 5G instantly into Home windows 11 so enterprises “stand to learn from safe, policy-driven laptop computer connectivity, simplifying how IT departments handle, shield and scale cell PC fleets” – as Ericsson writes. Seven operators – together with T-Cell within the US, Telenor in Sweden, Singtel in Singapore, Softbank in Japan – have dedicated to “early launch” offers, it mentioned, with broad availability from the second quarter of 2026
The joint resolution combines Microsoft Intune system administration with Ericsson Enterprise 5G Join (previously Ericsson Enterprise Digital Mobile Community; EVCN). Embedding AI-based 5G administration into Home windows 11 means IT groups can automate how gadgets hook up with and change between networks, and apply in-house enterprise insurance policies on high, mentioned Ericsson. “This joint resolution has the potential to rework enterprise IT and worker methods of working around the globe,” mentioned Ericsson.
9 | Agentic / generative AI rApp as-a-service on AWS
Additional to the rApps work with Swisscom above, Ericsson has launched a brand new agentic rApp as-a-service resolution for quick and versatile deployment of rApps on AWS. The answer introduces agentic AI capabilities for community optimization; it additionally provides a pure language generative AI interface. It makes use of an open service administration and orchestration (SMO) structure, and is introduced as a “catalyst to attain Stage 4 community autonomy”.
The addition of generative AI means “communication service suppliers [can] successfully discuss with the community, translating pure language into directions for the agentic-AI powered system”, it mentioned. Carriers can entry the app on AWS’s software market. Vivo Brazil, working with Ericsson and AWS, is the primary to expertise the real-world affect and the brand new capabilities, reckons Ericsson.
Ericsson mentioned its AI options for community optimization at present deal with greater than 100 million AI inferences every day throughout 11 million cells serving greater than two billion subscribers. James Crawshaw, apply chief at Omdia, commented “Whereas many out there now declare to offer rApps, solely a small quantity have demonstrated profitable, production-level deployments with ORAN-compliant interfaces. And no different vendor gives a comparable rApp-as-a-Service resolution. These two features create an actual distinction, setting this new providing aside.”
