The latest Strategy Analytics report has revealed how Sunrise overcame the 5G network deployment challenges in Switzerland.
The report said Sunrise’s 3D Networking approach layers in a mix of macro, micro, and pico solutions to deliver a broad, high-capacity network with focused in-fill in indoor and challenging outdoor locations.
Sunrise earlier said it offers the largest and fastest 5G network in Switzerland with basic 5G population coverage over 90 percent (up to 1 Gbit/s, 700 MHz) and high-speed 5G (up to 2 Gbit/s, 3.5 GHz) in over 621 cities/towns.
Sunrise reported 2019 revenue of 1.89 billion Swiss francs, and adjusted EBITDA of 668 million francs due to rising customer numbers in business-to-business (B2B), postpaid mobile, internet and TV.
Key elements in Sunrise’s 5G network deployment
Base station upgrades to support strong growth in 4G data traffic and add 5G on a tight site footprint, with Sunrise’s preferred solution, Huawei’s Blade AAU, combining 5G 32T32R AAU and 4G antennas into one box and reducing cell site deployment time, cost and complexity.
The use of power balancing across its network, combined with the use of small cells to improve cell-edge coverage and provide a supplementary capacity layer in heavy traffic locations, in order to meet Switzerland’s strict EMF regulations.
Prioritizing in-building coverage in order to maximize its market opportunity, deploying indoor small cells into retail and leisure venues and the development of 5G “Indoor Coverage as a Service” for enterprises.
Sunrise has deployed an advanced 5G network in Switzerland, using a mix of compact massive MIMO site design and small cells to deliver coverage and capacity while meeting stringent EMF limits.
“Its focus on the user experience in both outdoor and indoor environments is paying dividends in independent 5G network performance tests,” Guang Yang, director, Service Provider Group, Strategy Analytics, said.
Sunrise operates in a market with some of the most challenging regulations and planning needs for 5G services, which result in operators often spending 12-18 months to obtain permits for site upgrades and require many sites to run base stations at power levels dramatically below their maximums.
“Its 3D Networking approach has overcome these challenges,” Phil Kendall, executive director, Service Provider Group, Strategy Analytics, said.
The Swiss competition watchdog recently approved Liberty Global’s $7.50 billion acquisition of Sunrise Communications without conditions. Sunrise Communications will become Switzerland’s second-biggest telecoms group behind Swisscom.
“Like Swisscom, UPC / Sunrise will have its own mobile and fixed network infrastructure. There is no threat of eliminating effective competition,” the WEKO agency said, using the name of the Liberty unit making the deal.
BILANZ Telecom Rating 2020: Sunrise is the first provider in Switzerland to win all three categories as Best Universal Provider, for large customers, for SMEs and for private customers.
This is the fifth time in a row that Sunrise has been named “Best Universal Provider” in various categories in the BILANZ Telekom Rating.
Sunrise is voted telecom winner of the Computerworld Top 500 Satisfaction Survey for the third time in a row and, with the 2020 edition, is rated “the perfect partner” when it comes to telecommunications for businesses.
BILANZ Telekom Rating 2020 and Computerworld Top 500 Satisfaction Study 2020 confirm the double victory Sunrise has already achieved in the connect customer barometer for mobile network operators and PC Magazin’s customer barometer for Internet providers.
Baburajan K