Claro Brasil brings first 5G network to Latin America using Ericsson Spectrum Sharing
Taking advantage of existing spectrum assets, Claro Brasil has teamed up with Ericsson to deploy the first 5G network in Latin America using Ericsson’s dynamic spectrum sharing technology.
The 5G services are being rolled out initially across 12 areas in Brazil in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Ericsson Spectrum Sharing is part of Ericsson’s leading 5G platform where 5G enables low latency and faster connections than offered by 4G. In Claro’s case, this means data speeds reaching 400Mbps, signaling massive new opportunities for Brazil, including agriculture, smart cities and healthcare. With Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, 5G can be activated through a software update on any of the five million 5G-ready radios that Ericsson has delivered to the world market since 2015, with more than 400,000 in Brazil.
José Félix, President of Claro, says: “Claro is renowned as a pioneer in the introduction of new telecommunications technologies in Brazil. Ericsson Spectrum Sharing allows us to offer the first 5G network in Latin America. Claro has state-of-the-art infrastructure, which already offers the fastest 4.5G in the country, and now we take the lead by offering migration to 5G, even before the new frequencies dedicated to this new technology have been granted in Brazil. We have unique conditions to offer the best 5G experience and this reinforces our commitment to Brazil and to innovation. Despite the difficult times we have all been experiencing, we will continue to evolve and invest in order to always offer the best to our clients.”
Ericsson’s dynamic spectrum sharing solution gives Claro a head-start in rolling out initial 5G services while waiting for the 3.5GHz and the 26GHz bands. In addition to these bands, Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency is expected to award frequencies in the 700MHz and 2.3GHz bands during the 5G auction expected to happen in 2021
Ericsson welcomes the auction of 5G frequencies in Brazil, which will allow industries and consumers alike to unlock the world of opportunity that 5G offers.
Arun Bansal, President of Europe and Latin America, Ericsson, says: “Claro’s customers in Brazil will soon be able to tap into the incredible power of 5G. This next generation network has far-reaching potential to transform the country, from agriculture to smart cities.
“Ericsson is the global leader in 5G, and building on our 95 years of connectivity experience in the country, we’re excited to take this next step in our Brazil operations. We are ready to quickly deploy a reliable and secure 5G network alongside Claro.”
Ericsson has been collaborating with several ecosystem partners – chipset vendors and device makers – to advance its award-winning dynamic spectrum sharing solution.