Sagebrush Cellular selects Ericsson to modernize its network with 5G capabilities

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sagebrush Cellular, an affiliate of Nemont Telephone Cooperative, announced today that it will partner with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to modernize its network with 5G capabilities. Based in rural Montana, the company is the only source of voice and broadband services for many Montana residents, making its deployment a critical milestone for the communities it serves.

"Our communities rely on us for mobility and broadband, and we're always looking for ways to bring enhanced service offerings to our customers," says Mike Kilgore, CEO at Sagebrush. "We look forward to partnering with Ericsson to add cutting-edge equipment and technologies to our network equipment roster as we prepare to deploy 5G."

"Ericsson is committed to supporting communication service providers with the most robust and high-performing network solutions. We have the people, technology and experience to move the industry forward – and partnering with communications service providers like Sagebrush allows us to make a real impact," said Eric Boudriau, Vice President and Head of Customer Unit Regional Carriers, Ericsson North America.

Ericsson is slated to provide tower services and upgrade all existing RAN and core equipment. The equipment includes the Ericsson Radio System, industry-leading Cloud Core, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), and Ericsson NFVI. Following the Federal Communications Commission mandate to replace equipment for increased security, the solution will be deployed across 115 sites in Montana and North Dakota.