Ericsson and Vodafone Group (Vodafone) have announced a five-year strategic partnership to modernise Vodafone’s network footprint using Ericsson’s high-performing programmable network solutions across several key markets. Ericsson will be Vodafone’s sole radio access network (RAN) vendor in Ireland, Netherlands, and Portugal, as well as a major vendor in Germany, Romania, and Egypt.
The modernisation of Vodafone’s RAN infrastructure and management will lay the foundation for widespread deployment of 5G Standalone, enabling Vodafone to offer differentiated connectivity solutions with guaranteed, performance-based characteristics for their consumer and enterprise customers.
Under the partnership, Vodafone will deploy Ericsson’s state-of-the-art and Open RAN-compatible Massive MIMO (multiple input multiple output) radios and RAN compute solutions, as well as 5G Advanced RAN software capabilities extensively across their networks in these markets.
The pan-European deal introduces Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform and a number of AI-powered rApps which will be deployed market-by-market to deliver automated RAN optimisation, energy efficiency, and management of the multi-vendor network.
Germany will be the first market to deploy the platform and rApps for Ericsson and multi-vendor RAN management, with work beginning in fourth quarter of 2025.
Commenting on the partnership, Alberto Ripepi, chief network officer, Vodafone Group, said, “This strategic partnership with Ericsson marks a significant step in our network evolution journey. By modernising our network with latest generation equipment and embracing high-performing new 5G Advanced capabilities, we are transforming our infrastructure for best customer experience and high network efficiency, utilising automation and AI agents to seamlessly meet network demands in real time. We are also laying the groundwork to capitalise on the emerging market for network application programming interfaces (APIs) through our joint venture, Aduna. This powerful combination will allow us to expose our network capabilities to developers, spurring a wave of innovation in applications and services, and positioning Vodafone at the forefront of network technology and innovation.”
Meanwhile, Patrick Johansson, senior vice president and head of market area Europe, Middle East and Africa, Ericsson, said, “We are proud to expand our long-standing relationship with Vodafone through this transformative agreement. This partnership aligns with our vision for high-performing programmable networks, laying a robust foundation for Vodafone to deliver differentiated connectivity experiences. By enabling innovative, performance-based solutions across consumer and enterprise segments, we’re opening new opportunities for service monetisation and driving the next wave of telecommunications innovation.”
Vodafone will further enhance its network infrastructure by using Ericsson 5G Advanced RAN software solutions that employ AI and automation to enable intelligent, real-time network management, improve operational and energy efficiency, deliver superior device and network performance, and create opportunities for new revenue streams through differentiated connectivity services.
