du selects Ericsson to augment its IT environment

* United Arab Emirates telecom service provider du and Ericsson announce managed services deal for information services and information technology environment
* Comes as part of du’s ongoing efforts to enhance customer experience

du - the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, has extended and expanded its long standing business relationship with Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) into the IT space. As part of a new five year managed services agreement, Ericsson will augment du’s IT applications and deliver application development and maintenance for du’s IT application landscape.

This agreement supplements du’s aggressive growth strategy and its continuous focus on improving the company capabilities in service delivery, enhancing customer experiences, offering more value-for-money products.

Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Human Resources and Shared Services Officer, du, says: “We have grown rapidly as a company ever since we launched operations. To maintain the momentum and build on it we have chosen Ericsson to partner us in the field of IT Application Development. Ericsson’s expertise will significantly help enhance our IT applications, which we believe will reflect on our customers’ experience in top priority areas such as billing”

Ray Hassan, President and Head of Gulf Council Countries, Ericsson, says: “This confirms a growing trend in the market. Operators are looking for ways to simplify the management of their IT landscapes which are growing more complex. By having Ericsson providing both telecom and IT services, operators like du can gain significant business benefits. This deal reflects du’s continuous trust in partnering with Ericsson by setting a new and unique business model in the region.”

Under the terms of the contract, Ericsson will develop and maintain applications for about 35 platforms and technologies, including upgrading and consolidation of du’s software applications domains, transformation of operations and enterprise support systems and managed services.
Having one of the world’s highest mobile penetrations - reaching 205 percent , the 4.7 million residents of the UAE enjoy one of the most highly developed telecom markets and technologically advanced telecom infrastructures in the Gulf.

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the “prime driver in an all-communicating world” through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 90,000 employees generated revenue of SEK 203.3 billion (USD 28.2 billion) in 2010. Founded in 1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ New York.