STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson said it won a contract to provide regional wireless operator SunCom Wireless Inc. with a next-generation core network throughout the operator’s southeastern U.S. coverage area.
Ericsson explained that SunCom is deploying Ericsson’s Mobile Softswitch solution to carry voice and data traffic on the Third Generation Partnership Project Release 4-compliant network architecture. Ericsson said that the softswitches started full commercial operation in September and full deployment is set to be finished in 2006.
In addition, the two companies said they plan to conduct IP Multimedia Subsystem and Unlicensed Mobile Access trials, prepping SunCom’s network for deployments of next-generation services. Ericsson said it expects the IMS trial will help the launch of video telephony, conference calling, document-sharing Web pages and presence management in its IP network. In addition, Ericsson said its UMA solution-Mobile@Home-will deliver mobile network services, such as voice, voicemail, SMS, MMS and GPRS, using broadband and unlicensed radio spectrum such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
“SunCom is already seeing the benefits of reduced transmission costs,” said Angel Ruiz, head of Ericsson North America. “Ericsson’s Mobile Softswitch design, with its distributed architecture, has made the SunCom transport network more efficient. The network enhancements this architecture supports will help SunCom achieve convergence between the circuit-switched and packet-switched components of its networks, which is necessary for an efficient evolution to all-IP.”
“They exceeded our expectations by providing the first phase of softswitch deployment, from purchase order to commercial service, in fewer than 120 days,” said Scott Basham, vice president of Wireless Engineering at SunCom. “Twenty percent of SunCom’s network is now on Ericsson’s softswitch, and it has performed flawlessly.”
In other Ericsson news, the company’s president and chief executive, Carl-Henric Svanberg, announced today that its HSDPA solution is now in operation in 15 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.
Svanberg pointed out that the solution is live on commercial hardware and software, providing data speeds up to 3.6 megabits per second in the downlink in all 15 countries and that operators worldwide are exploring 3G HSDPA-enabled services to prepare for fast commercial launches.
Ericsson also said it has demonstrated, along with MTN South Africa, how 3G networks using W-CDMA technology enables new mobile broadband services and provides a cost-efficient fixed broadband alternative. The demonstration combines HSDPA and fixed wireless terminals, which is a solution for providing voice and high-speed data services using widely deployed mobile networks such as W-CDMA.
Ericsson said that combining fixed wireless terminals with HSDPA makes it possible for MTN to offer cost-efficient wireless alternative to Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line for delivering broadband data services to the residential market. Furthermore, the company added that because the service can be offered not only in traditional ADSL areas, but everywhere in the mobile network coverage area, HSDPA technology can help bridge the digital divide in developing countries by enabling cost efficient access to productivity tools such as email and the Internet.
“With the capabilities of Ericsson’s W-CDMA and HSDPA solution, we are now in a position to leverage on an attractive broadband market by offering first class broadband services to South African consumers,” said Hilton Goodhead, general manager of Radio Network Planning and Optimization at MTN.
