Ericsson partners with Bhutan Telecom to deploy 5G network in Bhutan

Ericsson has entered an agreement with Bhutan Telecom, Bhutan’s largest telecom service provider, to deploy a 5G network in the Kingdom of Bhutan. As part of the agreement, Ericsson will be responsible for network rollout and services of the 5G network.

The introduction of 5G will allow Bhutan Telecom to continue its technology leadership while contributing to the government’s vision of establishing a digital society in Bhutan. The contract includes 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) deployment that covers Ericsson Radio System products and solutions, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, Packet Core upgrade, OSS/BSS 5G enhancements initially and 5G Standalone (SA) introduction in subsequent years.

Karma Jurme, CEO, Bhutan Telecom states, “We appreciate the Government’s reliance on telecom infrastructure to boost the country’s digital infrastructure. The introduction of 5G will boost digital services in the country and enable Bhutan to become a ‘digital society.”

Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Ericsson South East Asia, Oceania and India say: “We are delighted to partner with Bhutan Telecom on deploying 5G in Bhutan. 5G will undoubtedly serve as a socio-economic multiplier for the country. 5G with its better performance, ultra-high-speed and reliability will benefit consumers through use cases like enhanced mobile broadband and Fixed Wireless Access initially. Over time, we will see many new transformative use cases in critical IoT emerge, where the speed, latency and security of the 5G network will be key.”

The latest Ericsson Mobility Report projects that 5G mobile subscriptions will exceed 580 million by the end of 2021, driven by an estimated one million new 5G mobile subscriptions every day. About 3.5 billion 5G subscriptions and 60 per cent 5G population coverage are forecast by the end of 2026. This momentum is expected to continue in the coming years, spurred by the enhanced role of connectivity as a key component of post-COVID-19 economic recovery.