ERICSSON NAMED top 5G innovator

Ericsson MEA team receiving the 5G innovation award

• Ericsson MEA was recognized for exceptional work in 5G innovation and expanding 5G capabilities across the region
• In partnership with “Wot-If? Trust”, Ericsson MEA also won the Connecting the Unconnected Award for its eHub in South Africa
• The CommsMEA Awards acknowledge operators and individuals who have played a vital role in leading the development of the region’s fast growing and rapidly changing telecommunications sector

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) received two prestigious awards – the Editor’s Choice Award for its work in 5G innovation and the Connecting the Unconnected Award for connecting communities in partnership with “Wot-If? Trust” – at this year’s CommsMEA Awards.

In the Middle East and Africa, Ericsson has been working to develop, expand, and implement 5G technology in as many ways as possible. Ericsson is in the midst of designing a 5G future for service providers, utilizing experience from joint business and industry collaborations to apply early use cases to help customers create 5G business today. With its expanded 5G portfolio and supporting ecosystem, Ericsson’s efforts have been recognized by industry leaders across the region, and as a result, Ericsson has received the Editor’s Choice Award at the CommsMEA Awards ceremony for its exceptional work in 5G innovation.

For its support in building an eHub in Diepsloot, a township in Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) transformation program, Ericsson South Africa and “Wot-If? Trust” have also received the Connecting the Unconnected Award at this year’s CommsMEA Awards. The eHub, which officially opened in June 2017, provides community members with the opportunity to use digital resources and develop their technological skills, supporting the community in its participation in the Gig Economy. The eHub offers residents an environment where they can access the digital supplies they need to hone their skills and operate their freelance businesses.

Rafiah Ibrahim, Head of Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “Being recognized by the industry for our innovation in 5G development is a great validation of the work that our innovators are doing in research throughout the past years in the area of 5G networks.  Our 5G test beds have been rolling out since last year with our key customers across the region and last week our innovators filed a landmark patent application, which incorporates numerous individual inventions that together will form a complete 5G architecture. This was considered the largest patent application in terms of inventors in the cellular industry, anywhere in the world. As for our joint award with “Wot-If? Trust” for the eHub project, this is in-line with our mission to empower people through technology, transform industries and advance society through sustainable development.”

The CommsMEA Awards acknowledge operators and individuals who have played a vital role in leading the development of the region’s fast growing and rapidly changing telecommunications sector. Now in their 12th year, the CommsMEA Awards also honor companies that have invested in technology, implemented winning strategies, and developed services to meet the needs and fulfill the desires of end-users across the board. Above all, the awards aim to recognize the key industry players that have contributed to the evolution of the communications sector in the Middle East and Africa, making it more dynamic and vibrant than ever before. The ceremony which took place on 20th November 2016 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai.

Ericsson is helping shape the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continued efforts to be a technology leader. Providing innovative solutions

and teams that will help manage projects across the world to create the most powerful communication companies.