Ericsson and China go for WCDMA cooperation
Ericsson and China go for WCDMA cooperation Ericsson has signed a memorandum of technology and industrial cooperation for WCDMA with the Ministry of Information Industry of the People's Republic of China (MII). In a first step, an Ericsson Research and Development center will be set up in Beijing. Ericsson will cooperate with the China Academy of Telecommunications Technology (CATT) by investing in a R&D center in Beijing as appointed by MII. This will facilitate knowledge transfer and further drive market acceptance and opportunities for 3G (third-generation) in China. The center will be in operation later in 1999. The agreement was signed after a high-level meeting in Stockholm between Madam Qu Weizhi, Vice Minister of MII and Ericsson CEO Sven-Christer Nilsson. Ericsson will cooperate with MII to build Chinese technical expertise, research and development in WCDMA - third-generation mobile communications. The joint work will also include technical cooperation in the use of second- generation radio communications technology. The Chinese Ministry fully supports global efforts to harmonize third- generation mobile communications technologies. Ericsson sees this memorandum as another step in the continued long-term cooperation between Ericsson and MII. This leads to joint development and production within the areas of third- generation technology. Ericsson pioneered CDMA research for military applications and has focused on WCDMA research and development for the past decade, thus securing the company's excellent position to deliver these new mobile systems. China is Ericsson's largest market globally. Ericsson China has more than 3,500 employees, 23 offices in different parts of the country and 9 joint ventures that provide a full range of communications solutions and services. Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Jan Malm, Executive Vice President, Ericsson (China) Company Ltd. Phone: +8610 65615566 Ken Zhang, Technical Director, Mobile Telephone Systems, Ericsson (China) Company Ltd. Phone: +8610 65615566 Eric Österberg, Communications Director, Ericsson Network Operators and Service Providers Segment Phone: +46 70 590 0599, +46 8 757 2159 E-mail: eric.osterberg@era.ericsson.se ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/01/13/19990113BIT00300/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/01/13/19990113BIT00300/bit0002.pdf