Play and Ericsson in a strategic partnership for the development of Poland’s digital infrastructure.

Under the agreement concluded by leaders of the telecommunications market, it will be possible to further develop one of the most modern and currently the largest mobile networks in Poland, used by Play. The infrastructure is to become even more energy-efficient and meet the highest connectivity standards. The companies will also work on developing 5G Standalone technology. Currently, nearly half of Play’s network is built on Ericsson infrastructure.

Play, a leading telecommunications operator, and Ericsson, a European provider of high-quality network solutions, have entered into an agreement that defines the continued cooperation between the two companies in support of the digitization of Poland’s telecommunications infrastructure.

Under the signed memorandum, Play and Ericsson declare:

Currently, Ericsson base stations account for almost 50% of the radio infrastructure of the Play network (almost 6 thousand stations). The collaboration will not only increase network coverage and capacity, but also address challenges in the areas of cybersecurity, system resilience and sustainability.

Play and Ericsson have started and will continue to test the 5G Standalone network – they take place in Białystok. 5G SA is a solution designed for local governments and enterprises that want to develop smart city concepts or private campus networks.

In addition, the companies will continue joint activities in Ericsson’s R&D centers in Łódź and Krakow regarding efficiency in the use of frequencies and energy-saving solutions.

Ericsson’s experience shows that 5G can be a catalyst for reducing carbon emissions by leveraging connectivity to increase productivity and operational efficiency across industries and public services. This idea is close to the hearts of both companies and will allow customers to make the most of the network in the future, also in the context of sustainability challenges.

“Thanks to our cooperation with Ericsson, we are consistently developing one of the most modern mobile networks in Poland. This allows us not only to respond to the challenges of growing grid use, security and energy consumption, but above all to provide customers with reliable services available throughout the country. Our agreement opens another chapter – it means even more innovations, even better quality and further support for the digitization of Polish” says Michał Ziółkowski, Member of the Management Board of Play, Chief Technology Officer.

“As a strategic partner of Play, we will deploy Ericsson’s state-of-the-art solutions on a large scale. Millions of customers and businesses are already benefiting from our innovations. Thanks to the partnership that has just been signed, the quality of mobile services will increase, which will help Poland become a regional leader in digitization, with 5G technology as a driving force” emphasizes Martin Mellor, Head of Ericsson in Poland.

Play and Ericsson have been working closely together to develop the network since 2018. The results of the activities taken so far are, m.in, increased availability of digital services for residents all over the Polish, improvement of the quality of the mobile network, reduction of the carbon footprint thanks to the use of energy-efficient infrastructure solutions and the construction of one of the most modern 5G ecosystems in the country. The memorandum will allow to strengthen the alliance between the two companies and maintain the current direction of cooperation.