As a consequence of the earlier acquisitions of the Silicon Valley-based companies Redback and Entrisphere, Ericsson has strengthened its position dramatically in IP networks and broadband access respectively. Last February, Ericsson used this base to increase its presence in the Valley and today some 1300 Ericsson employees are working at Ericsson’s campus in San Jose. 

Jan Uddenfeldt, Ericsson’s senior technology advisor, has moved to Silicon Valley to build a Technology strategy unit that focuses on the growing eco-system and standardization process, and includes an Ericsson research branch headed by Jan Söderström. The new technology and research unit will focus on new IP network technologies and open applications.

“Silicon Valley is a fantastic place with enormous competence,” Uddenfeldt says. “Now the main internet players – Google, Intel, Sun, HP and others – want to go mobile and for them Ericsson with our leadership in mobile and converged networks is their natural partner.”

“A role for us is to facilitate the development of open applications across vertical systems, to promote collaboration   and to build eco-systems,” Uddenfeldt adds.

Ericsson’s goal is to use its Valley presence to raise awareness of Ericsson not just as a mobile player but one that also knows how to merge mobility with the Internet and is a leader in driving the evolution to Long-Term Evolution (LTE).

So far Ericsson has announced cooperation with Intel regarding 3G-modules based on their new Atom processor and embedded in coming Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). And recently the company announced that it had joined Google’s Open Handset Alliance on their Android platform.