Under the four year agreement, Telstra's RAN will be upgraded with 5G Advanced hardware and software technology provided by Ericsson.

Ericsson says AI and automation will also be implemented to optimise network management through self-detection and self-healing capabilities.

Solutions provided by Ericsson include Open RAN Massive MIMO radios and new RAN Compute solutions as well as Ericsson’s latest 5G Advanced subscriptions.

"The transformation will power Telstra with one of the most advanced, resilient and reliable 5G networks in the world," Ericsson says.

"Telstra’s programmable network will provide a platform for innovative application development and the ability to tailor superior connectivity to the unique requirements of its customers, including new performance-based offerings.

"Further, it will open the network to tech innovators from wider ecosystems via network APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)."

Vicki Brady, CEO of Telstra, says customer needs for technology and connectivity are becoming more sophisticated, requiring a step change in how connectivity is delivered and consumed.

"At the same time, demand for mobile data on our network has tripled over the past five years," Brady says.

“Through our partnership with Ericsson, the first-of-its-kind for any operator across Asia-Pacific, we will evolve our offering and improve the efficiency of how we use our spectrum so we can increase our 5G network capacity to deliver better consistency of performance, reliability and speed to millions of customers.

“With a programmable network we will move from a one-size-fits all proposition, to being able to deliver more sophisticated use cases and commercial models to provide a differentiated and more tailored connectivity experience to customers.”

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, says Telstra - a longstanding early adopter partner of Ericsson - is set to enjoy the benefits that Ericsson 5G Standalone connectivity will bring.

“High-performing programmable networks are the building blocks to digitalise enterprises and nations," Ekholm says.

"This faster, more secure, and differentiated connectivity will transform consumer and enterprise experiences and enable developers to use 5G technologies to experiment, innovate, and build game-changing applications.

"Through this deal, Telstra is also empowering Australians – from single developers to the nation’s largest industries – to play their part in ensuring Australia is competitive on the global stage. We look forward to working closely with Telstra to make that happen.”