Mobinil and Ericsson launch world's first E-band MINI-LINK with 5Gbps capacity

• Mobinil, part of the Orange Group, is the first operator worldwide to deploy Ericsson's microwave link - MINI-LINK 6352 - with 5Gbps capacity
• This brand new solution will improve Egypt's readiness for widespread LTE adoption
• The E-band spectrum is instrumental in supporting microwave to meet the capacity increase for backhaul as well as fronthaul

In a world first, Ericsson launched a live E-band link with 5Gbps capacity on Mobinil's network in January, 2016. This brand new solution will improve Egypt's readiness for widespread LTE adoption, and enable Mobinil to become a data centric operator.

Half of Egypt's current population is under the age of 35, and broadband capacity demands are rapidly increasing. These capacity needs will continue to increase on the road to 5G, and keeping up requires a continued technology evolution and re-imagining of network efficiency.

The strategic decision to implement a microwave link with 5Gbps capacity and E-band technology on Mobinil's network has been perfectly timed to address growing demands and the future of broadband.

Hisham Sibilini, Mobinil CTIO, said: "We hold our customers at the core of our operations. Launching this global first technology is an anticipatory move in light of our expanding customer base and its long-term sustainability. With Ericsson as our partner in Egypt, we are able to ensure the highest quality experience for our customers. It is also a demonstration of our commitment to continuously invest in our infrastructure and ensure our networks have the capacity to handle future traffic."

Rafiah Ibrahim Head of Ericsson Region Middle East and Africa, said: "We have been strategically partnered with Mobinil for a number of years now, and the speed and success of this joint achievement has further enhanced our already excellent relationship. The advantages of E-band are its wide spectrum and channels that enable very high capacities. An enhanced customer experience is the key to differentiation for operators to succeed in competitive markets, such as Egypt, and we look forward to the continued growth of our partnership."

Microwave networks are a vital ingredient for operators to provide the best possible performance and quality of experience in the most cost-efficient way. Microwave backhaul technology is already able to handle 100 percent of all radio access sites' capacity needs. In supporting microwave to meet the capacity increase for backhaul as well as fronthaul, E-band spectrum is the key. It will experience major growth and represent up to 20 percent of new deployments in 2020, with traditional bands still accounting for 70 percent.

NOTES TO EDITORS

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