Ericsson has unveiled a €200 million investment plan to be executed over the next three years at its Athlone facility in Ireland, marking a major step in the company’s strategic focus on research, development, and innovation in network management.
The initiative, backed by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland, aims to strengthen Ericsson’s capabilities in managing high-performing, open, and programmable networks — a cornerstone for accelerating 5G Standalone deployment and value creation for communication service providers globally.
Central to this strategy is the advancement of the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP), which serves as an open, multi-vendor network management and automation environment for 4G and 5G Radio Access Networks.
Largely designed in Athlone, EIAP enables the development and integration of rApps, or radio access network applications, from any vendor, fostering a dynamic ecosystem of innovation. The investment also emphasizes the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and advanced analytics into next-generation network operations, supporting autonomous and efficient management.
Ericsson’s long-term commitment to Ireland is reaffirmed through this initiative, with the Athlone facility continuing as a global center of excellence for intelligent network management. This strategic move aligns with IDA Ireland’s national growth and innovation priorities and reinforces Ericsson’s legacy in Ireland, which spans more than five decades.
Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA, says: “Ericsson’s program is aligned with the key growth drivers of IDA Ireland’s new strategy – Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustained Growth and Innovation. The investment strengthens the long-term legacy of Ericsson in Ireland, building on the success of past investments spanning more than 60 years.”
“This EUR 200 million investment, supported by the IDA and Irish government, is a testament to our commitment to Ireland and confidence in our exceptional talent here,” Denis Dullea, Head of Ericsson’s Athlone site and Network Management Engineering Unit, said.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
