ERICSSON AB

Their core work

Ericsson AB is Sweden's global telecommunications giant, driving the development of 5G and beyond-5G mobile network infrastructure, radio access technologies, and wireless communication systems. Within H2020, they contribute deep expertise in radio resource management, millimeter-wave hardware (MMICs, GaN-based transceivers), network architecture design, and increasingly in connected vehicle communications (V2X, CCAM). They bridge the gap between fundamental wireless research and large-scale commercial deployment, bringing industrial-grade requirements to EU research consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2017), Ericsson focused heavily on foundational 5G architecture — radio access network design, spectrum management, and network integration — as seen in METIS-II, mmMAGIC, and 5G-Crosshaul. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted toward hardware realization (GaN transceivers, mm-wave packaging, terahertz systems) and vertical applications, especially connected vehicles (5GCroCo, Car2TERA) and AI-driven wireless optimization (WINDMILL). The trajectory shows a company moving from defining 5G standards to building the physical components and intelligent software layers for deployment and beyond-5G systems.

Ericsson is moving toward 6G preparedness, combining advanced RF hardware (terahertz, GaN) with machine learning for autonomous network management — expect future work at the intersection of AI and wireless infrastructure.

How they like to work

Ericsson predominantly participates as a consortium partner (41 of 47 projects) rather than leading, which reflects a deliberate strategy: they embed their industrial perspective into research-driven consortia without taking on coordination overhead. With 821 unique partners across 38 countries, they operate as a network hub — connecting to a vast range of universities, SMEs, and research institutes across Europe. This makes them an accessible and experienced partner, but expect them to contribute focused, industry-relevant work packages rather than drive overall project direction.

Ericsson has collaborated with 821 unique partners across 38 countries, making them one of the most broadly connected industrial actors in H2020 ICT research. Their network spans all major EU research nations with no narrow geographic bias.

What sets them apart

Ericsson brings something rare to EU consortia: the perspective of a company that actually deploys mobile networks at global scale. While universities design algorithms and SMEs build prototypes, Ericsson validates whether research outcomes can survive real-world deployment constraints — spectrum regulations, base station economics, and interoperability across vendors. Their participation signals industrial credibility, which strengthens any consortium's case for impact and exploitation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• METIS-II
  One of only 3 projects Ericsson coordinated — a flagship 5G architecture project with EUR 1.24M funding that shaped core 5G standards.
• 5GCAR
  Ericsson-coordinated project (EUR 1.14M) bridging 5G telecommunications and automotive research, an early mover in V2X communications.
• WINDMILL
  Marks Ericsson's strategic pivot toward machine learning for wireless networks, combining deep learning, reinforcement learning, and massive MIMO — a signal of their 6G direction.