Ericsson Plans to Establish Global LTE Test Center in Taiwan

Taipei, March 9, 2011 (CENS)--Ericsson, the world's largest supplier of telecommunication systems and equipment, has intended to locate its second global LTE (long-term evolution) IOT (interoperability test) center in Taiwan, according to Philip Tseng, general manager of Ericsson Taiwan.

Having landed orders for its LTE networking equipment from 17 international large-sized telecom companies so far, Ericsson has also gained a leading position in the 4G communication segment.

The firm has operated one world-caliber LTE IOT center running in Canada, and plans to set up a second one in Taiwan mainly to attract more Taiwanese makers of network and related end-user devices to develop LTE-based products. The makers can take advantage of the test center to accelerate R&D and are likely to be included in its LTE hardware partner list if their finished products pass tests in the center.

With technical assistance of the LET IOT center, market observers indicated that Taiwan's LTE industry will go global more quickly and effectively in the future. Noteworthy is that as the center will also be open to all LTE hardware developers worldwide, Taiwan, they added, is expected to serve as an important testing base of the 4G technology in the future.

Accordingly, Taiwanese firms having started their LTE business, such as High Tech Computer Corp. (smartphones), Zyxel Communications Corp., BandRich Inc. and Accton Wireless Broadband Corp. (network devices), etc., are expected to take Ericsson's side along with the center becoming operational to step up their business deployments in the segment.

Tseng also disclosed Ericsson Taiwan has focused its business strategies on the development of cloud computing, IP (Internet protocol) TV and LTE. He revealed that that Ericsson has just allied with U.S.-based Akamai Technologies Inc., a provider of distributed computing platforms, on cloud computing business, and won't rule out setting up a cloud computing IDC (Internet data center) in Taiwan.

With more globally influential enterprises joining the LTE industry, insiders noted that the number of global users of LTE services is estimated to sharply soar to 4 million this year from 100,000 last year, and then shoot up to 25 million in 2012 and 65 million in 2013. However, LTE services won't be available in Taiwan until the government starts to issue licenses to local operators in 2014.