Watch Communications and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) have partnered to make rural areas of the Midwest 5G ready. As part of this effort, Watch Communications has chosen Ericsson to deliver 3GPP-standardized Evolved Packet Core to markets in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

The Ericsson Cloud Packet Core solution allows Watch Communications to scale to 5G Non-standalone in the future. Additionally Watch Communications will leverage the existing Ericsson Network Manager, and monitor both the radio and packet core networks — all through the same interface.

Rob Johnson, Head of Customer Unit Regional Carriers for Ericsson North America, said: "Ericsson is proud to help Watch Communications continue to succeed in bringing lightning-fast speeds to rural America. We are committed to supporting rural carriers and the communities they serve by providing comprehensive, best-in-class solutions and bringing connectivity at an affordable price."

Chris Daniels, President and Chief Executive Officer of Watch Communications, said: "As we build our fixed wireless access network, it's important to have partners like Ericsson support us. By leveraging Ericsson's end-to-end solutions, we are delivering faster speeds to our customers and ensuring that everyone is ready for 5G."

Watch Communications and Ericsson previously announced their agreement to build rural fixed wireless access services in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky in October 2019.

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