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Overview
Top stories
Ericsson reports mixed results
Ericsson reported net sales of SEK54.5 billion for the fourth quarter of 2007 (almost unchanged from SEK54.2 billion a year earlier) and SEK187.8 billion for the full year (4 percent up on 2006). This performance reflected lower spending from operators on network infrastructure – especially on upgrades and expansions – and the continuing weakness of the US dollar (around half of Ericsson’s sales are USD-related). In constant currencies, estimated organic growth for the full year was 8 percent. Operating income was SEK7.6 billion in the quarter (SEK12.2 billion a year earlier) and SEK30.6 billion for the full year (SEK35.8 billion for 2006) (Press release).
Sony Ericsson boosts shipments 18 percent
Sony Ericsson shipped 30.8 million handsets in the fourth quarter of 2007, an 18 percent increase over the same period in 2006. Sales for the quarter were EUR3,771 million, in line with sales a year earlier, reflecting a strategic shift to a greater proportion of lower priced handsets (Press release).
Ericsson first to demonstrate LTE in FDD and TDD modes
Ericsson became the first vendor to demonstrate Long Term Evolution (LTE) operating in both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) modes on the same base station platform (Press release).
Viewpoint – ‘HSPA inside’ driving mobile broadband mass market
In 2007, Ericsson entered the embedded PC module market with the launch of the Mobile Broadband Module F3507g, a mini PCI Express module that enables built-in High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) connectivity. This was a significant step, designed to accelerate development and drive the creation of a mass market for mobile broadband. Now, mobile broadband appears to have reached a tipping point, and 2008 looks set to see dramatic growth in the availability and use of notebooks and other portable devices with HSPA embedded modules.
Nowadays, people are used to getting online with broadband while they are outside the home or office. But getting online can be fiddly and time-consuming, not to mention costly. Users typically have to locate a WiFi hotspot, ensure that the provider is trustworthy and, if they don’t have a WiFi subscription, pay for time-limited access.
The advent of external 3G USB modems, or ‘dongles’, that provide ubiquitous mobile broadband coverage anywhere within the provider’s 3G network has opened users’ eyes to the possibility of hassle-free, trustworthy mobile broadband access, wherever they go. Mobile broadband access is typically used as a complement to WiFi access in the office, although many people are also using it as an alternative ‘fixed’ broadband access at home.
Experience from several countries has shown that adoption rates soar as soon as mobile broadband is available at a USD30 price point for unlimited monthly usage.
Embedded HSPA modules take this behavior one step further by enabling always-available mobile broadband that is tightly integrated with the host notebook. Not only is there no need to purchase and carry a separate dongle that can be lost or damaged, users will enjoy superior mobile broadband experience with better radio performance and lower power consumption than an external card.
Ericsson sees mobile broadband being integrated into notebooks and other devices in three waves: first in notebooks aimed at business users; second in notebooks aimed at consumers; and third in other consumer electronic devices such as GPS navigators, in-car entertainment systems, gaming devices and cameras to name a few.
New mobile broadband ecosystem
There are already more than 165 commercially deployed HSPA networks in more than 75 countries. What’s more, a burgeoning ecosystem of mobile broadband devices and services has emerged around the technology. For example, there are more than 400 HSPA-enabled devices on the market – including phones, notebooks, PC modems and wireless routers.
Out of the estimated 1.8 billion people who will have broadband by 2012, some two-thirds will be mobile broadband subscribers. By 2011, analysts predict that almost 200 million notebooks will ship annually, and Ericsson believes that at least half of these will have HSPA embedded modules.
Notebooks containing Ericsson’s F3507g Mobile Broadband Module are set to arrive on the market in mid-2008. The module is based on Ericsson Mobile Platforms’ HSPA chipset, used in mobile phones, which works both on WCDMA/HSPA and GSM/EDGE networks. Smaller than a credit card, it provides up to 7.2Mbps in the downlink and up to 2Mbps in the uplink. The module also has a GPS receiver that can be used in conjunction with positioning applications.
While the primary focus for the F3507g module is the notebook market, Ericsson will also pursue other opportunities, including the Fixed Wireless Terminal (FWT) market. Over time, Ericsson will make the technology available in even smaller form factors to further accelerate the integration of embedded modules in all kinds of connected devices.
HSPA is already benefiting from huge economies of scale and is set to offer ever-improving performance through HSPA Evolved, which will provide downlink speeds of more than 42Mbps and uplink speeds of 23Mbps, and Long Term Evolution (LTE), which will provide downlink speeds of more than 160Mbps and uplink speeds of 50Mbps.
With the clear trend towards mobile broadband-enabled notebooks and consumer electronics devices, the future for embedded mobile broadband modules looks bright. Ericsson intends to be the catalyst in creating a strong mobile broadband ecosystem.
Mobile networks
More operators turn to Ericsson for HSPA
As a natural evolution of GSM/WCDMA systems, High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) is available as an upgrade to around 85 percent of the world’s existing mobile networks. By 2010, some 71 percent of mobile broadband connections are projected to be HSPA based, creating a mass market for mobile broadband.
HSPA from Ericsson already enables download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps and upload speeds of 1.4Mbps, and enables operators to more than double their system capacity and cut response times for interactive services.
Several mobile operators turned to Ericsson for their HSPA roll-outs during the quarter:
- Swiss mobile operator Swisscom selected Ericsson to expand and upgrade its WCDMA/HSPA network to enable high-speed mobile broadband coverage across 90 percent of Switzerland (Press release).
- Israeli mobile operator Partner Communications chose Ericsson to replace and expand its WCDMA/HSPA equipment (Press release).
- Chilean operator Entel PCS selected Ericsson as sole supplier for a three-year, nationwide WCDMA/HSPA network expansion and upgrade project (Press release).
- Austrian operator mobilkom austria chose Ericsson to expand and upgrade its WCDMA network with HSPA in the region of Carinthia (Press release).
- Brazilian mobile operator Claro chose Ericsson to implement a commercial WCDMA/HSDPA in the metropolitan regions of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre (Press release).
- Mobile TeleSystems OJSV (MTS), Russia’s leading mobile operator, selected Ericsson to supply and deploy an HSPA network (Press release).
- Israeli operator Pelephone chose Ericsson to migrate its existing CDMA network to a new WCDMA/HSPA network (Press release).
- Finnish operator Elisa and Ericsson activated the operator’s WCDMA/HSPA network addition in the 900MHz frequency band (Press release ).
TELE Greenland deploys IMS
TELE Greenland chose Ericsson as core IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) supplier to deliver integrated fixed and mobile convergent services (Press release).
NTT DoCoMo launches novel safety device
NTT DoCoMo launched a personal safety device based on Ericsson technology that obtains precise location information using GPS (Press release).
Vodafone Germany rolls out Power Savings feature
Vodafone Germany became the first operator to deploy Ericsson’s new Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Power Savings feature, which significantly reduces energy consumption in mobile networks (Press release).
Idea Cellular selects Ericsson for GSM network and managed services
Indian operator Idea Cellular selected Ericsson as the sole supplier of its GSM network in Mumbai. The parties also entered into a managed services partnership (Press release).
Telkomsel deploys solar-powered radio base stations
Indonesian mobile operator PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel) and Ericsson deployed solar-powered macro radio base stations to provide cellular coverage in Sumatra (Press release).
Local switching slashes transmission costs
Ericsson introduced a local call-switching feature across its GSM base station portfolio that generates dramatic savings in transmission costs for network operators (Press release).
World’s largest casino bets on Ericsson indoor coverage
CTM (Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau SARL) named Ericsson as end-to-end integrator of indoor coverage for the largest single-structure hotel in Asia, and the second-largest building in the world, the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel (Press release).
T-Mobile modernizes German network in record time
T-Mobile Germany, with Ericsson as EDGE supplier and telecom services partner, completed the first part of its GSM network modernization in record time. Over the past 24 months, Ericsson upgraded more than half of T-Mobile's radio network to EDGE, replacing more than 10,000 base stations in seven federal states (Press release).
ANTEL rolls out dual 2G/3G core network
Uruguayan operator Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (ANTEL) selected Ericsson to provide a common 2G/3G core network, including the Ericsson Mobile Softswitch Solution (Press release).
Multimedia services
Cellcom Israel delivers mobile TV
Israeli mobile operator Cellcom Israel is to deploy an Ericsson end-to-end mobile TV and video solution to give its subscribers access to live TV channels and video-on-demand (VoD) content (Press release).
MBMS interoperability tests a success
Ericsson successfully performed interoperability tests for its multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) solution with leading chipset vendors, setting the stage for widespread adoption of MBMS and availability of MBMS terminals (Press release).
Mobile devices
ASUSTeK selects U360 EDGE/WCDMA/HSPA mobile platform
Taiwanese mobile device manufacturer ASUSTeK Computer selected Ericsson's U360 EDGE/WCDMA/HSPA mobile platform for its recently launched T500 PC card (Press release).
Fixed networks
Hellas online deploys IMS in Greece
Greek telecom operator and internet service provider hellas online selected Ericsson for IMS and telephony softswitch solutions (Press release).
Chunghwa Telecom enters Optical Era
Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), Taiwan's largest telecom operator, has selected Ericsson to supply reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs) as part of its five-year Optical Era Project (Press release).
Seven Greek Digital Cities choose MAN from Ericsson
Ericsson is the total solution provider and prime integrator of metropolitan area networks to support the launch of seven digital cities across Greece (Press release).
TDF adds microwave transmission capacity
French broadcaster TDF chose Ericsson's MINI-LINK microwave transmission solution to provide flexible, scalable and cost-effective wireless transmission capacity for TV and broadband services (Press release).
Algérie Télécom rolls out Telephony Softswitch
Algerian operator Algérie Télécom named Ericsson sole supplier and systems integrator for its network upgrade, which will include the Telephony Softswitch, setting the stage for migration to an all-IP network (Press release).
New Optical MultiService Metro-Edge platform
Ericsson launched the Marconi OMS 1400 Optical MultiService Metro-Edge platform, which expands the packet evolution capabilities of its optical networking portfolio and strengthens its Full-Service Broadband offering (Press release).
Telecom services
Telecom Italia Mobile offers Napster Music
Italian operator Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) now offers Napster Mobile, the music service co-developed by Ericsson and Napster (Press release).
Spanish IPTV consultancy HyC Group acquired
Ericsson acquired HyC Group, a leading Spanish IPTV consultancy and systems integrator (Press release).
3 taps Ericsson for music hosting in Sweden and Denmark
Mobile operator 3 selected Ericsson to develop and host its mobile music service, 3Music, in Sweden and Denmark (Press release).
T-Mobile selected Ericsson as managed services partner
T-Mobile UK, part of Deutsche Telekom, signed a five-year managed services contract with Ericsson to modernize its network and provide managed services with a comprehensive range of professional services (Press release).
AT&T signs new GoPhone hosting agreement
AT&T signed a hosting agreement with Ericsson for the provision of real-time charging services for the operator's popular GoPhone mobile prepaid services in the USA and Puerto Rico (Press release).
Enterprise communications
Ericsson and HP deliver unified communications on blade servers
Ericsson is to integrate its unified communications software with the HP BladeSystem platform to help enterprises integrate their voice and data systems and make business communications applications accessible anytime, anywhere, on any device (Press release)
Corporate news
Ericsson makes senior team changes
Ericsson named Torbjörn Possne as Senior Vice President and Head of Group Function Sales and Marketing, effective February 1, 2008 (Press release)
Jan Frykhammar was appointed Senior Vice President and Head of Ericsson's Business Unit Global Services, effective January 1, 2008 (Press release)
Bert Nordberg was appointed Chairman of Ericsson Group companies Redback and Entrisphere, effective February 1, 2008 (Press release)
Ericsson wins inaugural energy-efficiency award in China
Ericsson was awarded the inaugural China Information Industry Energy-Efficiency Innovation Award from the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID), a think-tank under the direction of the Ministry of Information Industry (Press release)
Ericsson delivers first telecom services to Rwandan Millennium Village
In partnership with pan-African telecom operator MTN, Ericsson has kick-started its commitment with The Earth Institute at Columbia University to bring connectivity and telecom services to the Millennium Villages. The first village to receive these services is Mayange, Rwanda, which is now receiving support in healthcare, education and small-business development to empower social and economic growth in the community (Press release)
Sustainable energy use in mobile communications
This white paper describes how efficient network design and new energy-saving techniques can help mobile operators realize 15 to 25 percent in overall energy savings without affecting service quality (White paper).
Full Service Broadband metro architecture
Cost-efficient network architecture for addressing low-income segments
This white paper describes how modern GSM network architecture enables the cost-effective expansion of mobile voice and data services, enabling many more subscribers on lower incomes to be served profitably (White paper).
For the latest Ericsson white papers, please click here
Ericsson Review 1/2008
The new issue of Ericsson Review - which covers the latest Ericsson technology research, development and production achievements - takes an in-depth look at: achieving differentiation and mass-market reach using a single IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture; IMS-based community services; the third generation of Java Micro Edition MIDP; the energy-saving potential of BTS Power Savings and the Tower Tube concept for building telecom sites; HSPA Evolution; mobile TV over 3G networks; and Ericsson's User Service Performance Framework (Ericsson Review).
Industry events
February 5-6 | ||||||
MPLS and Ethernet World Congress Marriott Paris, Rive Gauche, Paris Website | ||||||
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| February 11-14 Mobile World Congress Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona Website | ||||||
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| February 24-28 The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) and The National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC) San Diego Convention Center Website | ||||||
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| February 27-28 FTTH Council Europe Conference Le Palais des Congrès, Paris Website | ||||||
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| March 4-6 CABSAT 2008 Dubai International Convention Center Website | ||||||
| March 12-13 Mobile TV World Summit Olympia, London Website | ||||||
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| March 12-14 IPTV World Forum Olympia, London Website | ||||||
| April 1-3 CTIA Wireless 2008 Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Website | ||||||
| April 14-17 Packet transport networks MARITIM proArte Hotel, Berlin Website | ||||||
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| April 29 - May 1 Softnet Olympia, London Website | ||||||
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| July 15-18 Broadband World Forum Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Website | ||||||
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Ericsson events
April 25, 2008: Q1 2008 report
Reports on past events can be found here
For further information about industry analyst activities, please contact industry.analysts@ericsson.com or refer to our website.
Telebriefings
February 6 the new standard; 3GPP - TISPAN IMS Multimedia Telephony - enabling fixed and mobile VoIP.
Please note: these topics were correct at the time of sending this newsletter. Please check here regularly for an updated list of scheduled telebriefings.
If you missed a telebriefing or would like further information, check out the archive where you can listen to the telebriefing, and access the presentation and script here.
To sign up for the industry analyst telebriefings and technology updates, please send an e-mail to industry.analysts@ericsson.com or refer to our website.
If you would like further information about any stories in this newsletter, or to arrange a briefing, please send an e-mail to industry.analysts@ericsson.com. Ericsson's global industry analyst relations team are: Peter Olofsson (Global), Kathy Egan, (North America), Rob Elston (Europe/Middle East/Africa) or Eva E Andersson (Asia Pacific). Please contact the person responsible for activities in the region in which you are based.
The next newsletter will be issued following the quarterly report April 25 2008. For further details regarding the quarterly reports, please check here.
To sign up to receive Ericsson press releases, please click here.
Don't forget to check out the industry analyst web site http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/industryanalysts
