Telecom Lead @ Mobile World Congress 2013: Ericsson is set to power Bhutan Telecom’s 4G services.
Ericsson was the wireless infrastructure partner for 3G services of Bhutan Telecom — the largest telecom operator in Bhutan — in 2008 as well.
LTE services — that will be implemented this year — will enable the telecom operator to offer high speed broadband, scalable bandwidth and benefit from increased spectral efficiency.
Bhutan Telecom says commercial LTE / 4G services will initially be launched in Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu.
Ericsson — announced at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2013 — will provide LTE equipment in the 1800 MHz spectrum band, including its latest RBS 6000 radio base station technology.
This will enable energy-efficient and cost-effective operations while allowing Bhutan Telecom to offer faster mobile internet connectivity. As a multi-standard base station, the RBS 6000 supports GSM/EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE in a single package to ensure smooth transition and upgrade to new technologies in the future.
Nidup Dorji, CEO of Bhutan Telecom said, “As data usage increases, our major network initiatives including last year’s 3G network modernization and rollout of 4G in the capital city this year will be critical in ensuring we deliver the best services to our subscribers.”
Fredrik Jejdling, head Region India, Ericsson, said: “The increasing use of smart devices and data-hungry applications is putting a huge pressure on operators to continue evolving their mobile broadband strategy.4G LTE gives users more of what they want; faster data access. It will transform the way people in Bhutan communicate, share information, collaborate, consume content and stay connected.”
Ericsson will provide its Home Subscriber Server (HSS) functionality that contains subscription-related information and performs authentication and authorization of the user.
The company will also upgrade Bhutan Telecom’s Packet Core to a multi-access Evolved Packet Core to optimize network operation and minimize the total cost of ownership. The contract includes provisioning of LTE software for various nodes, and services including network implementation, commissioning and integration.
