Ericsson signs agreement with Sonaecom for world’s first trial of IMS-integrated IPTV middleware

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) announced today it has signed an agreement with Portuguese triple play operator Sonaecom to provide and integrate its open, standards-based, end-to-end IPTV solution. It includes Ericsson’s new IMS-based IPTV middleware and enables the operator to deliver personalized and interactive TV experiences to its subscribers.

Under this Prime Integrator agreement, Ericsson will upgrade Sonaecom’s IPTV system by delivering and integrating a next-generation, end-to-end IPTV solution. This will bring together Ericsson solutions including its new IMS-based IPTV middleware and network infrastructure, as well as TANDBERG Television’s high-definition and standard-definition video processing platform. Deployment and trial has started.

Ericsson’s IPTV Middleware is the world’s first solution to be pre-integrated with IMS. Its flexibility and scalability will enable Sonaecom to quickly create, test and deploy differentiated TV services in order to provide an individual entertainment and communication package for consumers that includes interactive and mobile functionality.
The Ericsson IPTV ecosystem is based on open standards, designed to comply with the Open IPTV Forum specifications.

José Pinto Correia, CTO, at Sonaecom, says: “Ericsson’s complete solution will help us achieve our IPTV vision of bringing our customers personalized and interactive multimedia services, and provides us with the integration skills we need to deliver to consumers an individualized TV experience across multiple networks.”

Jan Wäreby, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Multimedia, Ericsson, says: “Creating the individual TV experience requires a combination of skills taken from the world of telecoms and television. This experience must reach wider than just television, further than just mobile, and beyond the limits of fixed-line networks. Helping operators to address this is central to Ericsson’s TV solutions offering. This new IPTV ecosystem is transforming the worlds of communications and entertainment to deliver an open, carrier-class TV solution that drives the future of truly converged and blended services.”

Hans-Erhard Reiter, President of Ericsson Portugal, says: “The strong combination of Ericsson’s IPTV offering, systems integration capabilities and local personnel will provide Sonaecom with a scalable, robust, end-to-end IMS-based solution to build its television business and offer advanced, revenue-generating services to its customers.”
The world’s first IMS-integrated IPTV middleware will be showed at IBC on September 11-16, 2008 in Amsterdam. The Ericsson booth is at D61 in Hall 1.

Based on its technology leadership and expertise in business and technology consulting, network deployment and systems integration, Ericsson is well-positioned to take on the role of prime integrator.

Notes to editors:
Press backgrounder - IPTV middleware:
http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/facts_figures/doc/
Press_Backgrounder_IPTV_middleware_September_2008.pdf

Press backgrounder - IPTV:
http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/facts_figures/doc/iptv.pdf

Press backgrounder - Individual TV experience:
http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/facts_
figures/doc/individual_tv_experience.pdf

Photos can be found at:
http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/photos/iptv_middleware.shtml

Ericsson’s standard multimedia content is available at the broadcast room:
www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 195 million subscribers. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of ’communication for all’ through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of USD 27.9 billion (SEK 188 billion) in 2007. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and NASDAQ.

For more information, visit www.ericsson.com or www.ericsson.mobi


About Ericsson IPTV
Today, with more than 240 IPTV deployments worldwide, Ericsson is already providing best-in-class video experiences - matching the most demanding consumer expectations for high-quality pictures, multi-screen viewing and increasing volumes of on-demand content across any platform, to any device.

About IMS
Ericsson IMS is an end-to-end solution that gives operators immediate revenue opportunities when evolving to all-IP operations. It enables seamless access to a wide range of new multimedia services across both fixed and mobile networks. Ericsson’s IMS solution includes a converged IMS core infrastructure, IMS based applications as well as application servers and service enablers that can be reused by multiple fixed and mobile applications.

About Sonaecom
Sonaecom, the Sonae Group sub-holding for the Telecommunications, Media and Software & Systems Integration (SSI) area is the most dynamic private Telecommunications group in Portugal. It develops an active role in integrated management of corresponding business units, by identifying and exploiting existing synergies and company growth potential.

From company foundation in 1994 to the present date, we have surprised the market with significant operational gains, continuous improvement on a global performance level and exploitation of synergies between our companies. Nowadays, we represent a profitable, solid and self-sustained project.

Our strategy is based on total focus on our Clients and the constant search for new business opportunities, which results in the elaboration of innovative proposals, aimed at the specific needs of individual Clients. This strategy has been reflected in market results, having simultaneously been recognised by the Industry.

Sonaecom relentlessly pursues the creation of innovative products, services and solutions that fulfill the needs of its markets and generate superior economic value.

More information available at www.sonae.com