Ericsson leads European Union 5G standardization projects

• Ericsson continues to spearhead 5G system development as coordinator of EU’s new METIS-II project
• The project will develop the overall 5G radio system design and roadmap recommendation for 5G, playing a key coordinating role within the 5G-PPP projects, and bringing key players together to advance 5G system architecture
• Ericsson will also take the lead as technical coordinator of the mmMAGIC project to develop a new radio interface

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) continues to spearhead 5G system development as coordinator of the new METIS-II EU project to develop the overall 5G radio system design and roadmap recommendation for 5G standardization.

On a strategic level, METIS-II will provide the 5G collaboration framework within the 5G Infrastructure Public Private Partnership (5G-PPP) for a common evaluation of 5G radio access network concepts and a recommended 5G spectrum roadmap. It will also lead to the preparation of concerted actions toward regulatory and standardization bodies.

The project centers on a strong international consortium, consisting of 23 partners from all regions with strong 5G R&D initiatives (China, the EU, Japan, South Korea and the US) and involving most of the major international vendors, major operators, and key researchers.

METIS-II will therefore have the unique capability to drive consensus-building globally, to consolidate a full picture of the needs of mobile as well as vertical industries, and to disseminate the results to the relevant bodies, forums, and standardization groups in all regions.

The project is co-funded in the EU H2020 research program and has a budget of EUR 8 million.

As the main driver and coordinator of the METIS-II project together with the global consortium, Ericsson will integrate technologies into a radio access design and provide a platform for concerted actions toward regulatory and standards bodies. The METIS II project will leverage the success of METIS, the first integrated 5G project also driven and coordinated by Ericsson.

In addition, Ericsson will take the lead as the technical coordinator of the mmMAGIC (Millimetre-Wave Based Mobile Radio Access Network for Fifth-Generation Integrated Communications) project. This project will develop and design new concepts for mobile radio access technology for deployment in the 6-100 GHz range.

Both projects are important in preparing a pre-standardization consensus in the mobile industry. They provide the different consortia with an opportunity to discuss and evaluate various research ideas before bringing them to the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).

Making 5G a global standard is the most critical factor for the digitalization of industries, the Internet of Things, and broadband everywhere.

Standardization is necessary to connect people all over the world. Over several generations of mobile networks, it has been the cornerstone that allows networks all around the world to work seamlessly together, providing users with the same experience.

Ericsson’s unparalleled global scale, its respected position in research and development, and its strong relationships with global players in the market puts the company in a unique position to contribute to research in Europe and beyond.