Telstra signs up to Ericsson’s global Startup 5G program; set to develop new 5G consumer offerings
Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) announces Telstra as one of six telecom operators globally to join Ericsson Startup 5G in 2021, an innovative program designed to foster collaboration between operators and startups to unlock the consumer potential of 5G.
By bringing together telecom operators and a curated network of startups that have created 5G-led use cases, Ericsson Startup 5G aims to accelerate the diversification and differentiation of the 5G experience for the consumer, with the end goal being the successful commercialisation and monetisation of 5G. Startups participating in this program are frontrunners in technology, curated by Ericsson based on the freshest insights from Ericsson ConsumerLab global research programs; they represent expertise and experience across all 5G use-case types, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), entertainment, gaming, Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality, shopping and immersive communication, smart home, healthcare and education.
This collaboration further strengthens the innovative partnership between Ericsson and Telstra, as the organisations search for and develop 5G-led consumer applications for the Australian consumer market.
Andrew Stormont, Telstra Mobility Executive says: “The Ericsson Startup 5G program is a crucial step towards Australians benefiting from more innovation in consumer experiences. By developing these tangible use-cases as part of the program, we will be demonstrating the true potential of 5G, which can lead to significant growth in 5G uptake among Australian consumers.”
Jasmeet Sethi, Head of Ericsson ConsumerLab says “We are excited about this partnership which gives Telstra access to more than 25 years of actionable consumer insights in addition to exclusive access to trailblazing startups curated by ConsumerLab. This collaboration will help envision and accelerate commercialisation of novel consumer apps and digital services, enabling Telstra to meet consumer expectations on 5G.”
Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, says: “Telstra joining Ericsson Startup 5G is an exciting step towards unlocking the benefits of 5G technology for the Australian consumer. Currently we have over 20 global 5G startups involved with plans to double this by the end of 2021; this program will allow collaboration between world-leading 5G operators like Telstra, and industry-leading startups to crystallise ground-breaking digital services.”
Ericsson ConsumerLab’s recently released report – Five Ways to a Better 5G – the largest global 5G consumer study to date, captures opinions equivalent to 1.3 billion consumers and 220 million 5G users; it also represents data from around 13 million daily smartphone users in Australia, including 1 million 5G users. The report revealed that 5G has already begun to trigger new smartphone behaviors among consumers, with 5G users spending more time on cloud gaming and AR apps compared to 4G users; this change in usage behaviour is one of many findings in the report that underscores the need of a program like Ericsson Startup 5G to develop more such 5G consumer offerings. This research also reveals seven-in-ten Australian global 5G users expect more innovative services and apps to be available on 5G networks.
Read the Ericsson ConsumerLab report: Five Ways to a Better 5G
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Ericsson enables communications service providers to capture the full value of connectivity. The company’s portfolio spans Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services, and Emerging Business. It is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Ericsson’s innovation investments have delivered the benefits of mobility and mobile broadband to billions of people around the world. Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York. www.ericsson.com
ABOUT TELSTRA
Telstra is Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company, offering a full range of communications services and competing in all telecommunications markets. Our purpose is to build a connected future so everyone can thrive. www.telstra.com.au