Ericsson has been awarded a contract by FarEasTone to deploy HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) and IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem), while expanding its existing share of the 3G/WCDMA radio footprint from Northern Region to Central Region. Ericsson will also provide related support services.

The HSPA network Ericsson is building for FarEasTone will be the fastest of its kind in Taiwan, supporting initial download speeds of up to 3.6Mbps; nine times faster than today’s 3G network.

Jan Nilsson, President of FarEasTone, says: “We are delighted to be able to provide consumers with first-class services using Ericsson’s world-leading 3G, HSPA, and IMS solutions. Our subscribers will enjoy a whole new 3G experience, and FarEasTone’s competitive advantage will be boosted. The focus of the new IMS system is to deliver new IP multimedia-services, and drive revenue growth.

FarEasTone will also become the first operator in Taiwan to implement IMS. Ericsson IMS makes it possible for FarEasTone to combine today’s and tomorrow’s applications and create an integrated services offering for the Taiwanese market. IMS will enable FarEasTone to offer an attractive and convenient communications experience; utilizing one common system for all broadband services users will have the freedom to access any service with the most convenient device at any given moment.

The upgrade and expansion of FarEasTone’s existing 3G network will provide significant improvement in both transmission speed and overall system performances and pave the way to all-IP.

SeГЎn Gowran, President of Ericsson Taiwan, says: “As the prime driver in an all communicating world, Ericsson is determined to excel in network infrastructure and services while being perceived as the most innovative and responsive business partner. The FarEasTone contract further highlights our leading position in HSPA and IMS, as well as our strong services offering in evolving networks to all-IP.”

This contract award follows the 2005 collaboration between Ericsson and FarEasTone to launch FarEasTone’s initial 3G service.

Ericsson is the first vendor to complete WCDMA calls on all nine 3GPP-defined frequency bands, giving its customers the most flexible platform solution on the market.

Initially deployed on the 2100MHz band, WCDMA and HSDPA are now being deployed on frequency bands used for 2G technologies, such as GSM, and new frequency bands, such as 2500MHz and the 2100/1700MHz used in the US. This enables operators to offer 3G services to a broader market and gives regulators the opportunity to grant new 3G licenses.

Using its new U310 and U360 WCDMA/HSDPA mobile platforms, Ericsson is the first vendor to successfully test its platforms on all nine frequency bands standardized by 3GPP. The U310 and U360 platforms support full commercial deployment on eight of the nine bands – an adapted variant of the U360 was used for testing on 2500MHz.

Robert Puskaric, head of Ericsson Mobile Platforms, says: “We are the first mobile platform vendor to successfully test operation on all frequency bands standardized by 3GPP. This enables our customers to bring WCDMA and HSDPA phones to the market covering all frequency bands open for 3G services. Operators will also benefit strongly from the capabilities of the U310 and U360 platforms, which allow rapid migration of end users to 3G.”

Hong Kong mobile operator SmarTone-Vodafone launches Hong Kong’s first commercial mobile broadband service with full HSDPA coverage in Hong Kong, pioneering the technology in the Greater China region.

This launch follows the successful upgrade by Ericsson of SmarTone-Vodafone’s 3G/WCDMA network with HSDPA.

The upgrade to HSDPA enables SmarTone-Vodafone to deliver true broadband speed of up to 1.8Mbps to laptops, and introduce its customers to a new generation of mobile broadband services with true mobility and real freedom to move. At this stage, users will be able to download five times faster than the current 3G connection using existing PC-cards, and 20 times faster than with a GSM/GPRS connection. Under the agreement, Ericsson has delivered HSDPA hardware, software and implementation services.

Douglas Li, CEO of SmarTone-Vodafone, says: “We are pleased to be the first operator in Hong Kong as well as the Greater China region to offer mobile broadband with full HSDPA coverage throughout the territory. The launch represents what real 3G can achieve and demonstrates how 3G with HSDPA can bring substantially better benefits to both business users and consumers through our Mobile Broadband service.”

Johan Adler, President of Ericsson Hong Kong, says: “We are proud to support SmarTone-Vodafone with the introduction of HSDPA services, bringing this key technology to Hong Kong consumers at a very early stage. SmarTone-Vodafone’s early launch of HSDPA underlines their innovative profile and will gear their network with the most advanced functionalities and services.”

This is another significant step in the long-standing, successful partnership between Ericsson and SmarTone-Vodafone, following the 3G launch in Hong Kong in 2004. Ericsson has previously been selected by SmarTone-Vodafone as sole supplier of Core and Radio Networks, including GPRS and WCDMA/3G.

Ericsson’s HSDPA solution will enable peak download speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps. The advanced technology offers operators more than double the system capacity and makes response times for interactive services faster. SmarTone-Vodafone is planning to upgrade to a maximum speed of 14.4 Mbps by 2007/08.

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.