Ericsson radio Air 3268 to reduce consumption for Malaysiaa€™s 5G network

By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

Ericssona€™s energy-saving radios Air 3268 claims it will reduce power consumption of Malaysiaa€™s 5G network being deployed by Digital Nasional Berhad.

The Malaysian 5G network claims to be the first in Asia to deploy Ericssona€™s radio which is 18% more energy-efficient than its previous generation radio.

Air 3268 supports Ericssona€™s massive Mimo architecture and uplink booster capabilities that deliver network performance.

At 12kg and 23 litres, Ericsson claims that the 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% less than the earlier generation, making installations easy on towers, rooftops, poles, and walls.

a€œThe Air 3268a€™s improved energy efficiency will reduce the cost of operations and impact on the environment,a€ said Ericsson head Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh David Háègerbro.

a€œThe new generation radios that will be deployed throughout Malaysia by Digital Nasional Berhad will be comparatively more energy efficient, thereby ensuring a more sustainable and responsible 5G rollout,a€ Háègerbro added.

The Air 3268 is designed with Ericsson Silicon to provide real-time channel estimation and beamforming that improves coverage and user experience.

With its reduced size and weight, Air 3268 will also simplify site upgrades even in locations where the number of antennas is limited.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 16 September 2022.