New Zealand operator 2degrees outlined plans for a late entry into the country’s 5G race, selecting Swedish vendor Ericsson to supply RAN and core equipment for a launch in major cities later this year.
New Zealand operator 2degrees outlined plans for a late entry into the country’s 5G race, selecting Swedish vendor Ericsson to supply RAN and core equipment for a launch in major cities later this year.
In a statement, 2degrees noted work on the 5G network will start immediately, with the first sites to be deployed in Auckland and Wellington.
It plans to build 700 sites in main centres across the country.
As part of the contract, Ericsson also will double the operator’s 4G capacity.
2degrees CEO, Mark Aue said the launch “will be well-timed”, noting “what we’re building today will be far more advanced than what any telco could deliver a year ago”.
He explained the 5G ecosystem made significant advances over the past 18 months and its network is “poised to capitalise”.
The operator said it already made progress on the deployment, replacing the core of its network in 2020 and now moving to accelerate the buildout by upgrading existing sites.
Aue said 2degrees operates nearly 1,800 sites, providing 98.5 per cent population coverage.
Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, Emilio Romeo said “it’s exciting to work with a challenger brand” and operator which “is growing its market share”.
Rival Spark New Zealand began offering 5G services in September 2019, while Vodafone New Zealand introduced its service in December 2019.
