Ericsson and Airtel Niger have deployed Ericsson’s dual-band three-sector Radio 6626 to provide a 5G-ready network, designed to reduce energy consumption and deliver what the companies say will be state-of-the-art performance.

Combining three sectors and two frequencies in a single radio unit, Ericsson’s Radio 6626 will enable Airtel Niger to radiate all three sectors in their towers through just one radio unit “thereby achieving significant energy reductions and operating expenditure savings.”

Field results have demonstrated a reduction in power consumption greater than 60%, a reduction approximately 0.4 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per site per year and a 60% reduced weight on the tower.

“With Radio 6626 featuring added support to boost capacity while addressing operational costs related to energy consumption and site rental, Airtel Niger will enjoy efficient site upgrades and accelerated time-to-market of various services. Through the deployment, Airtel Niger will also have the capability to enhance both outdoor and indoor coverage for all mobile generations and build a significantly advanced and energy-efficient network,” the companies explain.

Abdellatif Bouziani, CEO, Airtel Niger says: “This collaboration with Ericsson is a big step in our mission to build a future-proof and a more sustainable network in Niger. With the deployment of Ericsson's Radio 6626, we will be able to reduce operational expenditures significantly with lower power consumption, better site design, and with fewer radios without compromising network performance. The energy-saving features of the solution will lower our carbon dioxide emissions and will evolve our offerings to complement our sustainability ambitions.”

Todd Ashton, Vice President and Head of Ericsson South and East Africa at Ericsson Middle East and Africa says: “Radio 6626 will help Airtel Niger significantly increase the energy efficiency of the network infrastructure and launch new commercial connectivity services sustainably. Airtel Niger will benefit from faster rollout of services, achieve cost-efficiency, and provide a superior user experience to its customers across the country."