Ericsson partners with Vodafone to launch new 5G lab in Spain

Powered by the new Ericsson Cloud Native 5G Core, the innovation hub will allow developers and software companies to make use of the 5G network speed to develop new 5G use cases. According to Ericsson, the latency of its 5G Core enables network slicing and improves the stability of the network and its performance.

Ericsson said on Monday it has joined forces with Vodafone to launch a new 5G lab in Spain. Located at the latter's headquarters in Madrid, the Vodafone 5G Lab will enhance the start-up ecosystem for the development of 5G applications and services for consumers and enterprises in the region.

"This collaboration with Vodafone reinforces our commitment to continue opening new paths to stimulate the development of businesses and the society thanks to the connectivity and the technologies that 5G enables," said Ivan Rejon, Head of Strategy and Marketing for Iberia, Ericsson.

Powered by the new Ericsson Cloud Native 5G Core, the innovation hub will allow developers and software companies to make use of the 5G network speed to develop new 5G use cases. According to Ericsson, the latency of its 5G Core enables network slicing and improves the stability of the network and its performance.

In a press release, Ericsson said that the Vodafone 5G Lab will also maintain a continuous calendar of events, roadshows, workshops, and challenges to help small companies and start-ups that come to the space, with some of these activities to be shared online to ensure maximum possible reach.

It is expected that more than 200 developers and software companies will utilize the 5G innovation lab during its first year alone.

Commenting on this development, Marta de Pablos, Head of Strategic Marketing for 5G, Vodafone Spain, said, "Vodafone 5G Lab aims to become a fundamental co-creation space to develop a new generation of services and applications that our customers will be able to access in the near future. It is a very important step forward in our strategy to continue being pioneers and a reference in the deployment and use of 5G networks and services in Spain."