Ericsson unveils industry's lightest Massive MIMO radio to accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts

The AIR 3268 radio is the latest addition to Ericsson's portfolio of ultra-lightweight radios which were unveiled earlier this year to accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts.

Ericsson on Tuesday announced the launch of AIR 3268, the lightest and smallest Massive MIMO radio in the industry, for easier and efficient 5G mid-band deployments in dense urban and suburban areas.

The new radio weighs only 12kg - about 40 percent less than the earlier generation - making installations easy not only on towers and rooftops but also on poles and walls. Additionally, AIR 3268 is 10 percent more energy-efficient than the previous generation, lowering the total added power consumption when introducing 5G on mid-band.

Developed in partnership with BT, the ultra-lightweight antenna-integrated radio will simplify upgrades and new site acquisitions even in locations where footprint may prove challenging, Ericsson said in a press release.

"AIR 3268 widens the options for the radio site, allowing service providers to boost their networks and deliver faster 5G speeds and response times. It is also energy-efficient, which is important to us and our customers," said David Hammarwall, Head of Product Line Radio, Ericsson.

The AIR 3268 radio is the latest addition to Ericsson's portfolio of ultra-lightweight radios which were unveiled earlier this year to accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts. It is also designed with Ericsson Silicon with an architecture design that provides the Massive MIMO radios with real-time channel estimation and ultra-precise beamforming.

The ultra-lightweight design will help communications service providers (CSPs) overcome mid-band deployment challenges, enabling them to boost capacity, coverage, speeds and mobile experiences for their subscribers while reducing energy consumption.

"BT is pleased to be working with Ericsson on this product, which is less than half the size and weight of our current solution, reducing wind loading on existing sites and providing potential for adding 3.5 GHz Massive MIMO in new locations. The reduced power consumption will help BT deliver on our sustainability ambition," said Greg McCall, Managing Director of Service Platforms, BT Group.