Europe : Ericsson is set to achieve data speeds of up to 1Mbps in current GSM networks, enabling mobile broadband services for the world's 2 billion existing GSM subscribers.

Following the recent 3GPP industry standardization of EDGE Evolution, Ericsson has restated its commitment to launch EDGE Evolution, as software upgrade of existing infrastructure, by 2009.

EDGE Evolution will boost data speeds by up to 300 percent and will significantly improve latency, coverage, and spectrum efficiency. This improved data performance in GSM will serve as an important complement to high-speed WCDMA/HSPA networks, meeting the growing demand of data bandwidth and mobility.

Ulf Ewaldsson, Vice President and Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson, says: "Ericsson EDGE Evolution builds on 3GPP's industry standardization of agreed technology improvements and reflects Ericsson's prediction that the current trend towards EDGE-capable GSM networks and terminals is set to continue.

"Ericsson is committed to offering improved data communications such as mobile broadband, and we will leverage our expertise evolving fixed and mobile infrastructure to provide future-proof investment in Ericsson GSM networks."

Ericsson is the world's leading EDGE supplier, supporting a majority of the 196 commercially launched EDGE networks (GSA January 2007). Ericsson EDGE brings 3G capability to the GSM network by substantially increasing data performance and capacity. It does this through a software upgrade of existing equipment, a fast and easy way to reach the mass market with 3G services.