• Ericsson will upgrade Appalachian Wireless' 4G network by deploying a new cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core and Ericsson Radio System to support 4G and 5G standalone (SA) connectivity
• This new network will bring advanced 5G services to customers in rural eastern Kentucky and surrounding areas
• 5G services have the potential to bridge the digital divide, bringing opportunity to rural residents through connectivity

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Appalachian Wireless, an East Kentucky Network company, recently selected Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to modernize its network with 5G capabilities. Under this agreement, Ericsson will modernize Appalachian Wireless' network to a new container-based dual-mode 5G Core network for Standalone as well as deliver radio access network (RAN) solutions.

Appalachian Wireless has been at the forefront of technology and innovation in Appalachia for more than 30 years. Together, Ericsson and Appalachian Wireless will replace existing equipment and build a new cloud-native dual-mode core network for 4G and 5G. This new network will allow Appalachian Wireless to provide advanced 5G services to customers in Appalachia.

"Over the years, Appalachian Wireless and Ericsson have shared a long and successful partnership," said Mike Johnson, Assistant CEO of Appalachian Wireless. "We trust Ericsson to provide equipment and services that will allow us to better serve our customers and bring 5G to our communities."

"As the world becomes increasingly digital, residents without access to broadband are at risk of being socially and economically at a disadvantage," said Eric Boudriau, Vice President and Head of Customer Unit Regional Carriers, Ericsson North America. "By future-proofing its network with Ericsson's solutions, Appalachian Wireless will be able to break down the digital divide and bring 5G to rural residents throughout the region."

Across the United States, rural residents are less likely than suburban and urban residents to have access to broadband. A broad range of users, from students to small business owners, can benefit from having access to reliable, high-speed internet, and 5G has the potential to break down barriers and bring educational and economic benefits to all.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Ericsson 5G RAN

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ABOUT ERICSSON:
Ericsson enables communications service providers and enterprises to capture the full value of connectivity. The company's portfolio spans the following business areas: Networks, Cloud Software and Services, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Global Communications Platform, and Technologies and New Businesses. It is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Ericsson's innovation investments have delivered the benefits of mobility and mobile broadband to billions of people globally. Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York.

ABOUT EAST KENTUCKY NETWORK, LLC D/B/A APPALACHIAN WIRELESS:
East Kentucky Network, LLC d/b/a Appalachian Wireless (EKN) was established in 1990 and is a major regional wireless carrier serving twenty-five counties in eastern Kentucky, two counties in Virginia and one county in West Virginia. EKN is headquartered in Ivel, Kentucky and has approximately 200 employees, 300+ cell sites, 135,000+ subscribers, and a 400-mile redundant fiber ring that connects it with its five owners/members, each of which has been a telecommunications service provider in the region for more than 60 years. EKN recently completed construction of a state-of-the-art, Tier III data center, and EKN's fiber network extends over 7,500 combined fiber miles, with transport capabilities to Chicago, Ashburn, and soon, Atlanta.

SOURCE Ericsson