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Ericsson has announced a €200 million investment in a research, development, and innovation (RD&I) project in Ireland
Photo: Ericsson. (From left to right: IDA Ireland, CEO, Michael Lohan; Ericsson President and CEO, Börje Ekholm; Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Peter Burke, TD; Head of BA Cloud Software and Services, Ericsson, Jenny Lindqvist; Head of Ericsson Athlone, Denis Dullea.)
The project, launched at the company’s Athlone facility, will be spread over the next three years, and is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland (the country’s foreign direct investment agency. It will fund research and development focused on making mobile networks more open, efficient, and easier to manage, especially in the context of 5G Standalone (SA) rollout.
The project centres around Ericsson’s Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP), a system that helps operators manage and automate 4G and 5G radio access networks (RAN), even when equipment from multiple vendors is involved. The work being done in Athlone will also support the development of ‘rApps’, software applications that help automate and optimise how mobile networks run.
Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Peter Burke, says that the investment is “fantastic news”.
“Their innovative R&D project, which will span a duration of three years, will improve efficiency in 5G networks globally. Ericsson have been established in Ireland for decades, with the Athlone facility a significant employer and an integral part of the fabric of the community for over 50 years. It is really encouraging that Ericsson have once again cemented Athlone as key base for the company, selecting the campus and the staff based here to lead this pioneering work,” he continued.
”Ericsson’s ambitious programme is strongly aligned with the key growth drivers of IDA Ireland’s new strategy – Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustained Growth and Innovation. The investment strengthens the long-term legacy of Ericsson in Ireland, building on the success of past investments spanning more than 60 years. This RD&I project embodies cutting-edge innovation, exemplifies IDA’s continued commitment to balanced regional development. I wish Ericsson every success with this project and assure them of IDA Ireland’s continued partnership,” echoed Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA in a press release.
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