Ericsson partners with etisalat by e& to deploy zero-footprint RAN site in UAE

Ericsson has teamed up with its long-standing partner etisalat by e& to deploy a zero-footprint radio access network (RAN) site in its network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The deployment aligns with the objectives of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative

The two companies have upgraded an existing high-configuration radio site in Dubai, using a combination of Ericsson's zero-footprint solution and the latest generation of Ericsson Radio System multi-band, multi-sector and multi-technology products. 

An Ericsson zero-footprint-focused RAN site is a compact, easy-to-install and energy-efficient site build solution that does not require any ground footprint and is entirely based on the zero-footprint power solution, and fan-less convection cooling.

Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit for e& at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, stated, "At Ericsson, we are dedicated to helping our partners implement and maintain cutting-edge infrastructure that meets today's needs while accommodating tomorrow’s growth prospects, and we stand by etisalat by e& in its quest for Net Zero. Our end-to-end solutions for the construction of 5G radio sites are future-proof as well as cost-effective, helping our customers optimize their use of energy and resources to make their sites more sustainable."

During the pilot implementation, the energy consumption on a site level was reduced by 47 percent. This reduction is equivalent to a decrease of 15 tonnes in carbon emissions (CO2) per year. Additionally, etisalat by e& has benefited from simplifying the site connectivity, reducing the number of remote radio units from eighteen to only three. This has resulted in a reduction in preventive maintenance and civil engineering costs and requirements.

This was achieved using the Interleaved AIR advanced antenna solution that interleaves 5G Massive MIMO with the passive antenna, and all existing frequency-division duplexing (FDD) LTE layers are ready to support 5G.

Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer, etisalat by e&, said, "With e& as the Principal Technology Partner at COP28, it is on track to meet its 2030 net-zero target as it accelerates the implementation of climate action projects in its UAE operations. The Group's climate action projects, implemented by etisalat by e& in the UAE, include investments and efforts to modernize the telecom network by injecting the most energy efficient equipment in energy hungry nodes and elements in order to have an accelerated impact, in addition to deploying smart power saving and shutdown features that would optimize and control power consumption."