PLANO,
Texas, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ericsson
(NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced a landmark collaboration with NRTC,
Southern Linc, and Anterix (NASDAQ: ATEX) to deliver cutting-edge
private network solutions to electric cooperatives (co-ops) of all
sizes and service terrains across the
United States. This strategic partnership aims to provide
reliable, resilient, and secure network infrastructure, empowering
co-ops to meet the challenges of modernizing the grid
infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted service delivery to
communities nationwide.
"Our collaboration with NRTC, Anterix, and Southern Linc
underscores Ericsson's dedication to advancing secure and resilient
communications infrastructure for co-ops across North America," said Eric Boudriau, Vice President and Head of
Customer Unit Regional Customers, Ericsson
North America. "We are proud to contribute our solutions to
this initiative, ensuring that NRTC members have access to
state-of-the-art technology that meets their evolving needs and
maximizes their resources."
NRTC will augment its existing fiber design and construction
capabilities with Ericsson's expertise in cellular and microwave
communications technologies, Southern Linc's core hosting
solutions, and Anterix's 900 MHz spectrum as well as their 115+
member Active Ecosystem, to provide mission-critical smart-grid
network solutions designed to meet members' specific use case,
geographic, and deployment requirements. The partnership will also
allow NRTC members to construct, own, secure, and physically
maintain LTE/5G-ready sites as needed to provide wireless coverage
and capacity for legacy system retirement and grid modernization
objectives.
"We are thrilled to partner with Ericsson, Southern Linc, and
Anterix," said Joe Walsh, Vice
President of Smart Grid Networking at NRTC. "This
collaboration closes a critical gap that rural electric
cooperatives will face as they modernize their grid infrastructure.
Together, we're forging a path towards unparalleled connectivity,
resilience, and security, ensuring that communities across the U.S.
have access to the cutting-edge solutions they need to thrive."
Southern Linc's core hosting solution brings Ericsson's
dual-mode 5G Core solution, built on Ericsson's Cloud Native
Infrastructure, to NRTC member cooperatives and will provide the
core connectivity for the private Radio Access Network. Combined
with Ericsson Router 6000 and MINI-LINK 6000 offerings, this will
provide a comprehensive framework for utilities to enhance their
network capabilities while maintaining the highest standards of
security and reliability. This partnership represents a significant
step forward in bolstering the resilience of critical
infrastructure and addressing the challenges posed by inclement
weather, cybersecurity threats, and aging infrastructure.
"Our mission is to empower electric cooperatives to build a
robust and future-proof network infrastructure that can withstand
the demands of the modern world," said Southern Linc Engineering
Director Alan McIntyre. "By
collaborating with Ericsson and NRTC, we are ensuring that
utilities of all sizes have access to the latest private network
solutions, enabling them to deliver highly reliable service to
their communities."
"Our agreement with NRTC, and its collaboration with Ericsson
and Southern Linc, will provide NRTC's utility cooperatives with
the ability to directly access our 900 MHz spectrum, our 900 MHz
platform and solutions, and the Anterix Active Ecosystem members
and their offerings," said Alice
Moy-Gonzalez, Senior Vice President of Strategic Development
at Anterix. "I believe that this collaboration, when combined with
our current seven utility customers deploying in fifteen states,
will deliver significant scale and scope benefits to our nation's
electric cooperatives as they develop and deploy private LTE
networks."
Through this collaboration, Ericsson, NRTC, Southern Linc, and
Anterix are poised to revolutionize the landscape of co-op
communications, setting new standards for reliability, resilience,
and security in the digital age, working toward the well-being of
communities, and the creation and support of local jobs and
communities.
ABOUT ANTERIX:
At Anterix, we engage with leading utilities and technology
companies to harness the power of 900 MHz broadband for modernized
grid solutions. Leading an ecosystem of more than 100 members, we
offer utility-first solutions to modernize the grid and solve the
challenges that utilities are facing today. As the largest holder
of licensed spectrum in the 900 MHz band (896-901/935-940 MHz)
throughout the contiguous United
States, plus Alaska,
Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, we are uniquely positioned to
enable private wireless broadband solutions that support
cutting-edge advanced communications capabilities for a cleaner,
safer, and more secure energy future. To learn more and join the
900 MHz movement, please visit www.anterix.com.
ABOUT ERICSSON:
Ericsson enables communications service providers and enterprises
to capture the full value of connectivity. The company's portfolio
spans the following business areas: Networks, Cloud Software and
Services, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Global Communications
Platform, and Technologies and New Businesses. It is designed to
help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new
revenue streams. Ericsson's innovation investments have delivered
the benefits of mobility and mobile broadband to billions of people
globally. Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on
Nasdaq New York. www.ericsson.com
ABOUT NRTC:
We are Member Driven and Technology Focused. NRTC provides
solutions that help our 1,500 electric and telephone members bring
all of the advantages of today's evolving technology to rural
America. NRTC's Broadband, Smart Grid, Managed Services and Mobile
solutions are developed specifically to meet the needs of rural
utilities, their communities and their customers. We help our
members evaluate, build, operate and maximize their critical
network infrastructure. www.nrtc.coop
ABOUT SOUTHERN LINC:
Southern Linc is a wireless communications company and wholly-owned
subsidiary of Southern Company. Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a
leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the
Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing
clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service
is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in
three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a
competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy
distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics
network and telecommunications services. Southern Linc delivers
highly reliable, highly secure wireless voice and data services via
the CriticalLinc™ 4G LTE Advanced network to Southern Company
electric utilities as well as to a wide range of businesses and
public sector agencies across Alabama, Georgia and southeastern Mississippi. The CriticalLinc network provides
over-the-air encryption from devices to towers and supports
encryption from towers to the network's core data centers. This
mission-critical network design conveys a highly reliable suite of
LTE services that will support the most critical business
processes.
CONTACT: Jannie Tong,
jannie.tong@ericsson.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ericsson-nrtc-southern-linc-and-anterix-ink-landmark-agreements-to-deliver-connectivity-for-rural-electric-cooperatives-across-the-us-302212577.html
SOURCE Ericsson