In a groundbreaking advancement in telecommunications, Ericsson and Bell Canada executed the world’s first successful field trial of AI-native link adaptation. Conducted at Ericsson’s Ottawa R&D center, this innovative technology employs artificial intelligence to enhance network performance by dynamically adjusting to changes in signal quality and interference. As a result, it offers users improved network responsiveness and efficiency.
During the field tests, this new approach improved downlink throughput by up to 20% and increased spectral efficiency by 10%, significantly enhancing both the user experience and the network’s capacity. Ericsson and Bell’s collaboration represents a major step towards AI-optimized 5G networks and the future readiness of 6G technologies.
This innovation isn’t just an add-on; it integrates AI within its core architecture, operating in real-time on the baseband unit. Such integration strengthens network performance even in challenging conditions, like medium or poor channel quality and interference. “Using AI is a key part of our goal to enable high-performing programmable networks,” said Per Narvinger, EVP at Ericsson. Partnering with Bell allowed testing in a real-world environment, bringing us closer to delivering advanced 5G and future 6G experiences.
The benefits extend beyond just improvements in speed and reliability for consumers. For the telecommunications industry, the potential for AI-native link adaptation lies in revolutionizing network management. “AI-native link adaptation has the potential to revolutionize how we manage network resources, delivering faster speeds and more reliable connections for Canadians,” said Mark McDonald, SVP of networks at Bell.
In this partnership, Ericsson provided the technical expertise and resources, while Bell contributed its vast network infrastructure for effective testing and validation. This alliance is part of ongoing efforts to integrate AI into telecommunications networks, ensuring higher efficiency and preparing for impending technological advancements.
Meanwhile, Bell continues to expand its 5G offerings. In its collaboration with Nokia, announced earlier this year, Bell is working to deploy Cloud RAN and prepare for Open RAN integration. These advancements highlight Bell’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to deliver enhanced services to its users.