Liberty and Ericsson have signed a strategic contract to deploy the first 5G Standalone (5G SA) mobile service in Costa Rica, marking a milestone in the digitalization of the country and the Central American region. Partnering with trusted and secure 5G suppliers like Ericsson is essential to encourage advanced digitalization while maintaining robust security standards.
The deployment of the first 5G Standalone (5G SA) network in Costa Rica and Central America marks a transformative milestone, utilizing a fully 5G-native infrastructure without relying on 4G elements. Powered by Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core solution, this network is designed not only to massively scale and support the expected growth of IoT devices but also to enhance other critical service areas.
Beyond IoT, the 5G SA network significantly improves the mobile broadband (MBB) experience by providing faster speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connections for consumers and businesses alike.
As 5G becomes vital for digital transformation, robust security is essential. Ericsson’s approach covers standardization, product development, deployment, and operations to ensure networks are safe and reliable. Partnering with trusted, secure suppliers like Ericsson is key to maximizing 5G benefits without risking safety or dependability.
Additionally, the network enables faster Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, which are crucial for delivering high-speed internet connectivity to homes and businesses, especially in areas where fiber or cable infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
The project involves the deployment of the dual-mode 5G Core solution, along with over 1,400 sites connecting consumers and enterprises to the new 5G SA network, covering the entire national territory. With this infrastructure, more than 3.7 million subscribers will benefit from speed and advanced mobile services and internet-connected devices.
Guillermo Ponce, Senior Vice President for the Central and South American markets of Liberty Latin America, says “this milestone represents a significant advance for the company’s markets by developing Liberty Latin America’s first 5G SA network. In this way, we reinforce our commitment to offer Costa Ricans the best experience with state-of-the-art technology, which will change the way people navigate and boost economic growth thanks to the development of new technological solutions in different industries, hand in hand with 5G SA.”
Ericsson solutions for the deployment of the 5G SA network include:
- Ericsson radio access network (RAN) products and solutions: State-of-the-art equipment such as the Massive MIMO TDD radio AIR 3255, millimeter wave AIR 5322, and single-band Radio 4432. The scope also includes baseband (RAN Processor 6655 with built-in AI), antennas supported by RAN site enclosures, and batteries operating in the 700MHz, 3.5GHz, and 26GHz frequency bands. Together these ensure efficient national coverage, high data speeds, low latency, and energy savings.
- Ericsson dual-mode 5G Core Solution: Implementation of Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core on Ericsson Cloud Native Infrastructure (CNIS) that facilitates new 5G applications, enhances user experience, and provides superior modularity and automation.
Ericsson and Liberty will work together from the planning of the project all the way to deployment including testing and post-deployment support, ensuring the service’s monetization.
Switching to 5G Standalone enables differentiated connectivity, which is essential for building high-performing programmable networks. This transition helps unlock the full potential of 5G by scaling solutions such as artificial intelligence, network slicing, and APIs for new use cases and services.
Sean Cryan, Head of LATAM North and Caribbean at Ericsson says: “As 5G becomes vital for digital transformation, robust security is essential. Our comprehensive approach—from standardization and product development to deployment and operations—ensures networks are safe and reliable. The deployment of the 5G SA network in Costa Rica marks a significant step forward, enabling enhanced user experiences and driving economic growth and innovation.”
Collaboration within the digital ecosystem has been crucial in countries adopting 5G, generating potential GDP growth between 0.3 percent and 0.46 percent by 2035, according to a study by Ericsson and Analysys Mason.
5G networks will serve as enabling infrastructure to facilitate digitalization, automation, and connectivity, ushering in a new era of network security. Critical sectors such as manufacturing, logistics and transportation, tourism, and public safety will increasingly adopt these networks, which can be deployed through combinations of public and private networks.
