Ericsson said that Bell will be the first telecom provider globally to adopt the new 5G system
In sum – what you need to know:
Canada-built 5G innovation – Ericsson’s Ottawa team developed the Indoor Fusion 8828, a plug-and-play 5G system that merges radio and baseband into one compact unit for enhanced indoor coverage.
Targeting small venues – Designed for businesses like cafes, retail stores and theatres, the solution supports four Radio Dots and delivers multi-Gbps speeds.
Bell goes first – Canadian carrier Bell will be the first to implement the technology, using it to expand its enterprise service portfolio and improve business customer connectivity.
Swedish vendor Ericsson has unveiled its new Indoor Fusion 8828 5G solution, a Ottawa-developed system that merges radio and baseband capabilities into a single unit.
In a release, the vendor noted that the new 5G system, developed in 2023 by Ericsson’s radio team in Otawa, is designed to transform indoor wireless connectivity by delivering more reliable 5G coverage for small and medium-sized indoor spaces.
The plug-and-play solution targets locations such as cafes, retail chains, restaurants and movie theatres. It supports up to four Radio Dots and delivers multi-Gbps 5G performance— ideal for venues seeking to enhance operations and connectivity.
Canadian carrier Bell will be the first telecom provider globally to adopt the new system, using it to enhance its enterprise offerings.
“5G connectivity has the power to radically transform businesses and improve the lives of both employees and customers,” commented Jeanette Irekvist, president of Ericsson Canada. “We are proud to bring our innovative 5G solutions to Canadian businesses of all sectors and sizes.”
Mark McDonald, EVP and chief technology officer at Bell, added: “We are committed to meeting the needs of our business clients and providing them with a great experience through state-of-the-art technologies. As the first to implement Ericsson’s 5G in-building technology, we’re excited to break new ground while enhancing connectivity and daily operations for businesses.”
In related news, Ericsson Canada and Carleton University have announced a new extension to their multi-year partnership with the main aim of driving innovation, train skilled workers and build more reliable technology in the 5G wireless field.
Based on the successful collaboration which started in 2020, Ericsson and Carleton have agreed to extend the partnership an additional two years until December 2026, continuing the ongoing wireless research programs and delving into new areas of focus.
The partnership had opened a 5G Wireless Laboratory in Carleton’s ARISE building in 2022, dedicated to student-centered research projects and innovation programs, with Canada’s first fully functional private standalone 5G network, said Ericsson.
Canadian telco Rogers Communications has recently said it started to deploy Ericsson 5G Advanced (5G-A) technology on its national network, claiming to be the first carrier in Canada to launch such technology.
Rogers is rolling out Ericsson’s 5G Advanced RedCap software to power IoT devices, such as sensors, cameras and monitoring equipment. This technology enables the telco to use network resources more efficiently, while it supports longer battery life for wearables.
Last year, the Canadian operator carried out a trial of 5G cloud-radio access network (cloud RAN) technology in partnership with Ericsson.
In February 2024, Rogers Communications said it had successfully tested 5G network slicing technology, stating that it was the first nationwide live test of this technology in Canada. The operator tested 5G network slicing technology in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in partnership with Ericsson on the company’s 5G SA network.
Rogers said it will use network slicing technology this year to offer a dedicated network slice for first responders to have priority on the network. The company will also use this technology to separate fixed and mobile traffic on its national 5G network and accelerate the expansion of 5G wireless home internet to more rural and remote communities across Canada, which will enable the telco to optimize and dedicate traffic flows to ensure a more reliable service for both residential and mobile users.
