KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 15): Malaysia will be the first country in Asia to use Ericsson’s AIR 3268 ultra-lightweight radio in supporting its 5G roll-out.

In a statement on Thursday (Sept 15), Ericsson head for Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh David Hagerbro said the new-generation radio that will be deployed throughout Malaysia by Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) is 18% more energy-efficient than the radio of the previous generation, thereby ensuring a more sustainable and responsible 5G roll-out.

The AIR 3268 is designed with Ericsson Silicon, providing real-time channel estimation and ultra-precise beamforming that improves coverage and user experience.

At 12kg and 23 litres, AIR 3268 is the lightest and smallest massive MIMO (multiple input multiple output) radio in the industry, and has been designed for 5G mid-band massive MIMO performance to deliver the benefits of deployment simplicity.

With 200 watts of output power, 32 transceivers and passive cooling, the radio weighs about 40% less than the earlier generation, making installations easy on towers, rooftops, poles and walls.