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Working alongside Swedish operator Telia, Ericsson’s says its private 5G network tech will enable numerous advanced use cases, from real-time video analytics to digital twins

This week, Ericsson has announced a new partnership with Telia to deploy the Baltics’ first enterprise 5G network at Ericsson’s own Estonian supply factory, located in the capital city, Tallinn.

According to Ericsson, this deployment will not only drive “productivity, agility, and sustainability” for the factory’s operations, but will also provide the foundations for numerous connected use cases, including asset condition monitoring and management, computer vision, digital twins, collaborative robotics, and 5G precise indoor positioning.

The site itself plays a key role in Ericsson’s overall supply chain, accounting for nearly half of the new product introductions; i.e., the process of turning R&D projects into viable, scalable commercial products.

According to Ericsson, since its activation on May 2, the private network is already having a significant impact on the factory’s operations, bringing improvements in terms of automation, safety, and agility.

“The implementation of Ericsson Private 5G at our Supply Site in Tallinn is a testament to our commitment to connected manufacturing and emerging data-driven technologies – after all, in today’s highly competitive manufacturing environment, keeping up with the latest technological capabilities is essential to stay ahead of the curve,” said Sirli Männiksaar, Country Manager of Ericsson Estonia. “Our 5G private network enables advanced use cases such as real time video analytics, immersive technologies, digital twins, collaborative robotics and multiple mobile equipment tracking and control capabilities that empower our daily operations. As a leading adopter of advanced cellular technologies supporting Industry 4.0 implementations, Ericsson’s Supply Site in Tallinn is proud to play a key role in the industry’s continued growth and success, delivering new products and smart solutions to customers worldwide.”

Ericsson will be hopeful that this is the first of many collaborations with Telia in the industrial space. Earlier this year, the two companies announced a joint 5G programme called NorthStar, aiming to help various industrial businesses embrace the benefits of 5G connectivity, particularly via private network deployments.

The programme will reportedly target customer innovation and R&D units in numerous verticals, with the automotive industry the initial focus.

In fact, Ericsson’s private 5G momentum already appears to be building, with today’s announcement the latest in a string of enterprise private 5G network deals the company has signed over the past few months. These include a deal with systems integrator Comsol to provide connectivity for a South African mining operation and with Mugler to develop private campus networks in Germany.

Just two weeks ago, Ericsson announced the latest hardware and software enhancements to its private 5G offering, offering improved visibility and management, as well as increased coverage of over 1,000,000m².

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A new deal will see the Italian operator expand their existing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with ERG to encompass a further 200GWh/year of renewable energy over the coming decade

This week, TIM has announced a new PPA agreement with independent renewable energy firm ERG via the latter’s subsidiary Telenergia.

The new nine-year agreement will see ERG provide the operator with an additional “baseload” 200 GWh/year of renewable energy.

TIM first signed a deal with ERG for renewable energy back in May 2021, securing 340GWh/year for ten years over the 2022–2031 period.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed

As a result of this deal, around 34% of TIM’s energy purchases will come from renewable sources via PPAs.

“We are the second biggest Italian energy consumer and therefore it is crucial to make choices with the goal of resolving environmental issues,” explained TIM CEO Pietro Labriola. “The new agreement signed with ERG will help us to reach the ESG targets we have set ourselves, while at the same time stabilising costs in a context of continued macroeconomic uncertainty. The agreement confirms, once again, the importance of forging robust partnerships which share an industrial vision as well as consideration of the environment.”

TIM aims to use only renewable energy by 2025 and to generate Net Zero carbon emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) by 2040.

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Vodafone and Three UK closing in on merger
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The £15 billion merger would drastically reshape the UK mobile market, creating a new market leader with 28 million customers

This week, a report from The Financial Times suggests that the long-awaited merger between Vodafone UK and Three UK is soon to become reality, with an announcement expected later this month.

Sources suggest that negotiations between the two companies are almost finished, with the deal valued at around £15 billion, around £6 billion of which is debt.

Rumours that the two companies have been considering a merger have been circling for years, though discussions between the two companies were only formally acknowledged in October last year.

Initial outlines suggest that the merger will see majority ownership of the combined entity go to Vodafone with a 51% stake, while CK Hutchison, Three UK’s owner, taking the remaining 49% stake. Rumours even suggest that the deal could be something of a steppingstone for Hutchison to exit the UK market entirely, likely by selling off its minority stake to Vodafone at a later date.

Vodafone’s interim CEO Margherita Della Valle took on the role permanently last month, a move that likely steadied the ship and helped advance negotiations with Hutchison.

Naturally, such a mega merger would present a huge shakeup for the UK telecoms market, shrinking the country’s mobile ecosystem down to just three players.

In the past, regulatory bodies within both the UK and the EU have been loathe to allow just three mobile players in a single market; in fact, this was one of the main reasons why the Telefonica’s O2 was disallowed from merging with Three back in 2016.

In recent years, however, the regulatory landscape has gradually grown more relaxed when it comes to major M&A. Earlier this year, for example, European Commissioner Thierry Breton said there were “no taboos” when it came to mergers in the telecoms space, especially when doing so would encourage cross-market consolidation.

But despite regulators warming to the concept of major telecoms mergers, it seems likely they will still impose some form of restrictions on any tie-up between Three and Vodafone. Exactly what stipulations might be imposed on the two companies is unclear, but they could include price freezes for customers and various network rollout assurances, particularly in rural areas.

How would the merger of Vodafone and Three impact the UK’s telecoms industry?  Join the ecosystem in discussion at this year’s live Connected Britain conference

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