ST-Ericsson and Ericsson first to achieve LTE and HSPA mobility with a multimode device

ST-Ericsson, a world leader in wireless platforms and semiconductors, and Ericsson have successfully achieved mobility between LTE and HSPA networks, using a multimode LTE/HSPA device. The interoperability was realized in live networks from Ericsson in Stockholm, Sweden, using a multimode device powered by ST-Ericsson’s platform, M710.
The companies took another step towards a wide deployment of LTE by successfully demonstrating a mobile broadband data call in an LTE network and its handover to an HSPA network. This functionality enables a smooth service between existing networks and newly deployed LTE networks.

“With multimode devices consumers can enjoy new high-speed mobile broadband services and global coverage right from the launch of LTE services,” said Jörgen Lantto, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of ST-Ericsson. “Seamless roaming between LTE and today’s networks is a key device capability to enable faster introduction of LTE.”

“Ericsson is in the lead of the LTE development and together with the rest of the industry we will provide a true ecosystem for mobile broadband,” said Ulf Ewaldsson, Vice President and Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson. Roaming between the two technologies, providing seamless services, are a prerequisite for our customers enabling mobile broadband around the world”.

The device and networks used in interoperability testing in Stockholm were in compliance with the industry standard for commercial deployment, 3GPP Release 8 March baseline.

Multimode support allows device manufacturers to provide consumers with flexible and versatile devices. The chipset for ST-Ericsson’s M710 platform is commercially available.

Ericsson and its mobile platforms division, now part of ST-Ericsson, were also first to achieve interoperability to support multimode devices between GSM and 3G networks in 2002.

Notes to editors:
ST-Ericsson drives innovation in mobile broadband and new advanced services through the development and deployment of LTE:

* 2004-2005 ST-Ericsson started research and standardization activities related to LTE
* 2007 First handheld LTE prototype available and first handheld public demonstration at Mobile World Congress in 2008
* 2008 Platform interoperability tests activities initiated with network vendors
* 2009 Fully working LTE chipset available and interoperability testing of the platform with operators


Read more about ST-Ericsson’s multimode platform, M710 at http://www.stericsson.com/platforms/LTE_M710.jsp


About ST-Ericsson
ST-Ericsson is a world leader in developing and delivering a complete portfolio of innovative mobile platforms and cutting-edge wireless semiconductor solutions across the broad spectrum of mobile technologies. The company is a leading supplier to the top handset manufacturers and ST-Ericsson’s products and technologies enable more than half of all phones in use today. The company generated pro-forma sales of about USD 3.6 billion in 2008. ST-Ericsson was established as a 50/50 joint venture by STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) and Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) in February 2009, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.