Australian operator National Broadband Network (NBN) has selected Ericsson to build and operate  a 2.3GHz fixed-wireless broadband network based on LTE technology. It will serve rural Australia with download speeds of up to 12Mbps and upload speeds reaching 1Mbps. AUD 1 billion agreement forms part of Australian Government's complete nationwide high-speed broadband network project

"NBN Co will be offering rural and regional Australians the latest 4G wireless technologies as part of its fixed-wireless service. Fixed wireless will allow us to plan a network for a more predictable number of users in a given area. This gives us greater control over speed and quality of service," said Kevin Brown, Acting Chief Executive Officer, NBN.

Under the ten-year agreement, Ericsson will provide the LTE network, including radio access, core and transmission as well as related services. Products in Ericsson's extensive portfolio also include the RBS6000 multi-standard radio base station, transmission and Evolved Packet Core solutions.

As part of the agreement, Ericsson will design, build, operate and maintain NBN Co's network end-to-end, including business support systems. This includes service activation, management and assurance as well as network performance and capacity management. Ericsson will also provide a wide range of services such as construction, installation, commissioning and learning services. Network operations will transfer from Ericsson to NBN Co after the initial agreement with Ericsson is completed.