Ericsson Outlines its Vision for 3G Wireless Evolution

ASIA : At the Ericsson Strategy & Technology Summit in Shanghai, Ericsson's CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg( inset ) said the growing demand for mobile content and the handset's emerging role as a media channel will pave the way for a faster deployment of 3G and HSDPA.

"Users demand more mobile content, operators are looking for new revenue sources and media companies need new distribution channels. This is in line with our vision of an all-communicating world and we are confident that the mobile content industry has wonderful
potential," he added.

Close to achieving 2 billion users and 30 percent world penetration, the mobile telecommunications industry has become an attractive market for bandwidth-intensive applications and content, such as music, gaming and TV.

In this context, HSDPA will enable mobile operators to take advantage of this growing revenue stream. HSDPA is included in the latest version of WCDMA and provides peak data rates of up to 14 Mbps.

In conjunction with the summit, Svanberg announced that in a strategic move in the field of research and development cooperation, Ericsson has signed the first research agreement with Shanghai Research Centre for Wireless Communications (SHRCWC).

Under the agreement, Ericsson will collaborate with SHRCWC in undertaking research projects on future telecommunications technology such as Super 3G and 4G. The agreement further demonstrates Ericsson's commitment to drive the development of the telecom industry in China.

During the Summit, Mats H Olsson, President of Ericsson Greater China, confirmed Ericsson's long-term commitment to the country, announcing a USD 1 billion investment for the next five years.