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The Cloud-Star technology blog brings you the latest news and comment from the Mobile Communications industry including: IoT, 4G LTE, 5G and other mobile technologies.

Updated: Mar 14, 2023




Ericsson have unveiled the latest addition to its MIMO portfolio – the ultra-lightweight antenna-integrated radio AIR 3268 – for easier and efficient 5G mid-band deployments in dense urban and suburban areas. NEWS At 12 kg (26lb) and 23 liters, AIR 3268 is the lightest and smallest Massive MIMO radio in the industry. With 200W output power, 32 transceivers and passive cooling, the radio weighs about 40 percent less than the earlier generation, making installations easy not only on towers and rooftops, but also on poles and walls.

The radio will help to accelerate 5G mid-band deployment for communications service providers seeking to boost capacity, coverage, speeds and mobile experiences for their subscribers.

Ericsson’s latest radio is 10 percent more energy-efficient than the earlier generation, lowering the total added power consumption when introducing 5G on mid-band. It also supports Ericsson’s unique Massive MIMO architecture and Uplink Booster capabilities that deliver leading network performance. Ericsson has developed AIR 3268 in partnership with BT to address 5G challenges.


Through the development process, the ultra-lightweight radio has been designed for 5G mid-band Massive MIMO performance to deliver the benefits of deployment simplicity and improved energy efficiency. Greg McCall, Managing Director of Service Platforms, BT Group, says: “The 3.5 GHz band and Massive MIMO technology are important to our 5G network strategy to deliver the best customer experience in urban areas. We continue to add capacity within our market-leading 5G coverage, but to maximize our ability to deploy this technology, we need to minimize the burden on our site infrastructure."

He adds: BT is pleased to be working with Ericsson on this product, which is less than half the size and weight of our current solution, reducing wind loading on existing sites and providing potential for adding 3.5 GHz Massive MIMO in new locations. The reduced power consumption will help BT deliver on our sustainability ambition.”

David Hammarwall, Head of Product Line Radio, Ericsson, says: “We continue to revolutionize Massive MIMO with ultra-lightweight radios that allow easier site upgrades and more seamless 5G mid-band deployments. AIR 3268 widens the options for the radio site, allowing service providers to boost their networks and deliver faster 5G speeds and response times. It is also energy-efficient, which is important to us and our customers.”

With its size and weight, AIR 3268 will simplify upgrades and new site acquisitions even in locations where footprint may prove challenging. The new radio also supports Ericsson’s mini bracket, providing lower total weight and easier installations.

AIR 3268 joins the family of ultra-lightweight radios launched in February this year. Like the rest of the company’s Massive MIMO radios, it is designed with Ericsson Silicon, providing real-time channel estimation and ultra-precise beamforming that improves coverage and user experience. Ericsson also offers optimized site solutions with integrated transport for dense urban areas as part of its comprehensive transport and site solutions portfolio.


Source: Ericsson

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Updated: Mar 14, 2023


Ford, Argo AI and Walmart are working together to launch an autonomous last-mile vehicle delivery service to customers in Miami, Austin and Washington, DC.






Ford Motor Company, artificial intelligence specialist Argo AI and retailer Walmart are working together to launch a door-to-door autonomous vehicle delivery service in Miami, Austin (Texas) and Washington, DC. It marks Walmart’s first multi-city autonomous delivery collaboration in the US. The last mile delivery service will use Ford self-driving test vehicles equipped with the Argo AI Self-Driving System to deliver Walmart orders to customers. Scaling the service The collaboration brings together a self-driving technology provider with an automotive manufacturer able to integrate that technology with vehicles at scale, plus the world’s largest retailer. The commercial service will be available to Walmart customers within defined service areas of the three markets and will expand over time, with initial integration testing slated to begin later this year. As consumer expectations continue to shift to next-day or same-day delivery – especially in the urban core where there is a higher concentration of deliveries – this collaboration will drive key learnings in how autonomous technology can enhance customer experiences, while also optimising logistics and operations. “Our focus on the testing and development of self-driving technology that operates in urban areas where customer demand is high really comes to life with this collaboration,” said Bryan Salesky, founder and CEO, Argo AI. “Working together with Walmart and Ford across three markets, we’re showing the potential for autonomous vehicle delivery services at scale.” “Argo and Ford are aggressively preparing for large-scale autonomous vehicle operations across a broad footprint of US cities”

Argo’s cloud-based infrastructure, which is designed to work seamlessly and efficiently with partners’ business operations, will integrate with Walmart’s online ordering platform to route orders and schedule package deliveries to customers’ homes. “Argo and Ford are aggressively preparing for large-scale autonomous vehicle operations across a broad footprint of US cities,” said Scott Griffith, CEO, Ford Autonomous Vehicles & Mobility Businesses.


Source: Smart Cities World

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Updated: Mar 14, 2023




Integral to the Taormina City tech project, led by start-up T.net, is 5Ghz wireless networking that will help create an IoT network and a vehicle-to-everything a corridor.


The Taormina project aims to be a model for other smart cities in Italy Taormina, on the Italian island of Sicily, famous for its landscape, beauty and historical monuments, is to become a showcase and model for smart city projects in Italy. The Taormina City tech project is being led T.net, a start-up in the innovation accelerator EIT Digital’s portfolio, and is supported by the municipality. Smart city services The project, scheduled to be finished by the end of the year, focuses on a range of services from mobility and waste collection to lighting, which will be managed via a network of intelligent sensors. It leverages 5Ghz wireless networking, enabling the creation of an Internet of Things (IoT) network and a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) corridor for connected autonomous vehicles. This is intended to significantly improve intermodal communication in real-time as well as the overall travel experience. By successfully managing the interaction between the vehicles, the road infrastructure, and the infrastructure users, T.net hopes to ease the burden of heavy traffic flow, making it simpler for citizens and tourists to move across the city. “We are doing this using innovative and modular IoT technologies, replicable in other contexts and expandable with additional services” For instance, it is possible to calculate waiting times at toll booths, travel times from the highway to the city centre and to show available municipal parking stalls. Moreover, the system monitors the cable-car tourist service, keeping passengers informed of the waiting times for the next trip. T.net’s technology allows authorities to save and optimise resources by using smart lighting systems, metering systems for pollutants and monitoring systems for garbage bins. It said with citizens’ collaboration, it is possible to trigger a “virtuous process” leading to a smart community.


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