Ericsson unveils new routers to boost AI & IoT connectivity

Ericsson has announced the launch of two new routers, the Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 and S400, tailored to enhance connectivity for AI-driven applications, computer vision, data analysis, and other advanced technologies in IoT and vehicle networks.

These routers integrate with Ericsson's NetCloud platform, including NetCloud SASE Secure Connect, to facilitate seamless deployment, management, and robust, zero-trust security across extensive IoT and vehicle setups.

The Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 is a ruggedised 5G router designed to deliver high-performance connectivity, especially in vehicles. It supports the deployment of advanced applications such as AI-driven video recognition and real-time data analysis.

The router aims to cater to uses in public safety, smart cities, near-shore vessels, and school buses, offering stable 5G connectivity even under demanding conditions. The R980 is compatible with 3GPP Release 16, ensuring readiness for standalone networks and network slicing, which includes public safety and low latency network slices for IoT.

Additionally, its embedded e-SIM will enable over-the-air carrier switching in future NetCloud releases, enhancing deployment flexibility and operational efficiency.

Pankaj Malhotra, Head of Enterprise Networking and Cybersecurity Business Line at Ericsson's Enterprise Wireless Solutions, said: "As AI and advanced applications continue to transform industries and daily operations, the demand for secure and resilient connectivity beyond traditional branch environments is becoming increasingly critical."

"With the capabilities of the R980 combined with NetCloud Manager, we've integrated security, SD-WAN, and deep visibility into a unified, easily managed system. This industry-first approach is empowering our customers to seamlessly deploy networks that provide enterprise-grade network reliability and security, all while aligning with their unique innovation and business goals."

The Cradlepoint S400 addresses the needs of distributed, widespread IoT devices with its semi-ruggedised, compact design. It supports diverse IoT use cases such as light industrial applications, digital signage, and building controls. The S400 offers field-expandable interface options like additional Ethernet ports, a serial port, and a GPIO switch, allowing IT specialists to customise the device to specific deployment needs.

Featuring NetCloud SASE Secure Connect, the S400 ensures a zero-trust network is deployed instantly, providing comprehensive security for large-scale IoT and vehicle network deployments.

New features in NetCloud simplify installation and troubleshoot efficiency for large vehicle and IoT deployments. Carrier Selection Intelligence (CSI) automates the process of choosing the best-performing wireless carrier based on criteria like performance, jitter, and latency, reducing the need for on-site testing.

Cellular Health Events Monitoring provides deep insights into cellular network performance, aiding enterprises in troubleshooting by correlating signal trends with changes in carrier towers and bands. These additions are available across the Ericsson Cradlepoint portfolio, including the R980 and S400.

"Ericsson's new Cradlepoint routers - the ruggedised R980 and S400, offer our customers a 5G/LTE Wireless WAN connectivity option with enhanced reliability and scalability, especially for the Mobility and IoT sector. The added network security and ease of large-scale deployments further bolster our managed services offerings - Global Wireless Access (GWA) and Global Managed LEO (GML)," stated Joop Gerlach, COO of Blue Wireless.

"As part of the Wireless Logic Group, Blue Wireless is able to further enhance deployment speeds and in-life support experiences with the e-SIM functionality of the Ericsson Cradlepoint R980. By leveraging all these technologies, we provide solutions that accelerate wireless adoption for global businesses to do what they do best, all while staying seamlessly connected."

In another announcement, Ericsson also introduced a new coverage extension solution aimed at providing reliable connectivity in areas where wired networking is unavailable or ineffective.