Zain Bahrain, Ericsson sign 5G deal

Zain Bahrain has selected Ericsson to deploy a 5G radio network in Bahrain as per a new multi-year agreement was signed in a special event held at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay on Thursday. The event held under the patronage of Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications was also attended by Börje Ekholm, Ericsson CEO.

The deal, which involves network modernization from LTE to 5G, will provide Zain Bahrain with 3GPP standards-based 5G New Radio (NR) hardware and software from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio, including Massive MIMO solutions as well as the Ericsson Packet Core. Besides, Zain Bahrain has completed the 5G data session during the event to showcase 5G 360 degrees streaming capabilities with 4K definition.

Speaking on the occasion, Kamal Ahmed, said, “As one of the first countries globally to provide commercial 5G services to consumers, we are pleased to see Zain Bahrain deploying the 5G network and its commitment in adopting latest technologies and innovation which in turn reflects on the Kingdom’s drive for innovation and reinforces its position as a regional leader in the telecommunications and ICT sector” Zain Bahrain Chairman, Shaikh Ahmed bin Ali Al Khalifa said it is excited about the new strategic partnership with Ericsson “to support, expand and speed up the deployment of the Kingdom 5G network.”

Fadi Pharaon, President of Ericsson Middle East & Africa, said 5G presents new opportunities and enables service providers to launch the most advanced technologies “while improving the end-user experience with faster speeds and lower latency.”