At the forefront of technological transformation, Ericsson is not just one of the pioneers that evolved 5G but it's also actively shaping its future to align with the specific demands of today's enterprises.
According to Peter Linder, Head of Thought Leadership for Ericsson in North America, unlike the four previous cellular generations, 5G is driven by the needs of businesses, but as businesses demand more robust, flexible, and secure networks, Ericsson responds with cutting-edge solutions that promise not just to meet, but to exceed these needs.
Who Is Peter Linder?
Peter is the Head of Thought Leadership for Ericsson in North America, bringing 32 years of dedicated service in various roles both in the U.S. and at the company's headquarters. His expertise centers on the evolving capabilities of mobile technologies, particularly 5G.
Ericsson's latest Mobility Report shows that in early 2024, the number of 5G mobile subscriptions surged by 160 million, totaling over 1.7 billion worldwide. This number is further expected to hit nearly 5.6 billion by 2029.
According to Peter, 5G has significantly improved the user experience and network capacity to meet the growing demands of smartphones.
Additionally, Peter believes that another key advantage of 5G is the introduction of a new fixed broadband alternative through Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). This allows for the final leg of internet connectivity to homes and businesses to be delivered wirelessly, rivaling traditional cable and matching fiber-based alternatives in terms of speed and reliability.
5G has paved the way for private cellular networks, which play a key role in the digital transformation of various sectors such as sports, music venues, factories, and energy distribution systems.
Organizations across these industries are now deploying these networks to improve their operations, boost efficiency, and offer new, innovative services. Ericsson is one of the pioneers in the field, and in fact, it was the first company to bring 5G to four continents.
Hence, I asked Peter how the widespread deployment of 5G has transformed the world, and in what ways this advanced technology benefits both businesses and consumers.
In his opinion:
- Unlike the four previous cellular generations, 5G is driven by the needs of businesses, governments, and consumers alike, addressing a broader spectrum of requirements.
- Today, 5G is the wireless technology that delivers on the combined value proposition of high performance, reliability, availability, and security — key attributes for business- and mission-critical applications.
- 5G is the first cellular generation that delivers network performance comparable to wired solutions.
When Can We Expect 6G?
While the world is still getting immersed in 5G, some already talking about 6G, including Peter.
“New cellular generations happen every 10 years, and 6G will come at the end of this decade,” Peter explains.
6G will build upon existing architectures, introduce cutting-edge technologies, and expand the range of use cases, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible even further.
Peter highlights that Ericsson is at the forefront of defining 6G. The company is working closely with academia, industry leaders, and policy stakeholders to shape the standards and ensure a seamless transition to this next generation of mobile systems.
With artificial intelligence and machine learning now revolutionizing many sectors, Peter also expects they will transform the upcoming 6G technology.
“AI, 5G, and Cloud computing are all crucial technology disruptions linked to each other. Mobile network operators are already leveraging AI and ML to automate network operations and optimize energy consumption,” he notes.
Looking ahead, Peter emphasized that "the use of AI will change data traffic patterns, and AI will change how we develop software, how we plan and design networks, and how we operate them more efficiently.”
Peter explains that Ericsson collaborates extensively with key stakeholders in the broader ecosystem. The company recently announced a partnership with Intel to help accelerate the digitalization of enterprises in Thailand.
“Intel technology plays a role in Ericsson's hardware solutions and servers for cloud-native software. The collaboration in Thailand is about advancing the national agenda for Industry 4.0 and Smart manufacturing,” he says.
By integrating Intel’s technology, Ericsson improves its 5G infrastructure and capabilities, facilitating more efficient, scalable, and secure network performance.
This partnership is expected to drive significant innovation and digital transformation across key sectors such as manufacturing, transport, and logistics, ultimately supporting Thailand’s vision of becoming a leading digital economy.
Businesses Should Embrace Digital Transformation
Speaking of digital transformation, Peter shares why companies need to embrace digital transformation initiatives today.
According to him, “From the beginning, the definition of 5G has focused on enterprises' needs and how to accelerate their digital transformation.” This focus is important because it enables companies to stay competitive and innovative.
Moreover, he claims that the digital transformation journey allows enterprises to leverage digital technologies to increase efficiencies and develop new customer-facing offerings. By integrating these technologies, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and create more value for their customers.
“Ericsson supports enterprises by offering a portfolio of connectivity solutions to connect businesses wirelessly, enable the building of private networks based on cellular technology, and offer private slices of public networks,” he concludes.
Per Peter, this is how Ericsson's digital transformation consulting approach differentiates itself from other consulting firms in the market:
- Ericsson is a vital player in the broader mobile ecosystem, capable of linking all new technologies together early in the deployment cycle.
- The company possesses strong knowledge about the whole value chain for mobile networking technology, which is essential to streamline solutions within and across industries.
- Ericsson's global presence allows us to consolidate insights from the leading markets and scale quickly once solutions are proven.
Along with digital transformation, an effort must be made to reduce network power consumption.
“Ericsson is a pioneer in fixed wireless access," Peter notes. "This connectivity solution enables society to close the digital divide using the same mobile and fixed broadband infrastructure. As the global leader in sustainable network solutions, we invest aggressively in technologies that reduce network power consumption.”
“We are halfway through the deployment cycle for 5G and enter the exciting second half. The second half is about unleashing the full capabilities of 5G, extending the reach of networks, and introducing new 5G-enabled innovations," he concluded.
