In addition to hosting and integrating the MMS platform with ALLTEL's network, Ericsson is operating and maintaining the service on a round-the-clock basis.

"By taking a managed services approach to MMS, we were able to quickly bring our Axcess Picture Messaging services to market in the fourth quarter of 2003," ALLTEL Executive Vice President of Network Services Chris Smith said. "This allowed us to focus on other core products and services in the fourth quarter."

"Ericsson's managed services hosted offering is a cost-effective way for operators to introduce advanced mobile applications to market quickly," Ericsson Inc. Vice President Jerry Nichols said. "ALLTEL was able to concentrate on marketing picture messaging to its customers while Ericsson got the service up and running."