Ericsson has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish strategic cooperation with Datang Telecom Technology & Industry Holdings Co. Ltd. to jointly develop advanced TDD solutions, with the goal to deliver richer mobile communications to consumers in China and around the world. As part of the MoU, Ericsson will start integrating Datang's TD-SCDMA radio access network equipment into its own 3G mobile communications offering.
More than six million mobile users in China are already accessing mobile services through this technology. TD-LTE being the next generation of TD-SCDMA technology is also being tested pre-commercially to satisfy the growing appetite for higher speed and richer applications of Chinese mobile subscribers.
The strategic cooperation between the two companies dates back to January 2008 when Ericsson set up a joint research center with Datang in Beijing to carry out research cooperation in TDD technology. This new MoU now takes the relationship between the two parties to a substantially new level.
"Leveraging our global leadership position in LTE, we have been firmly committed to evolving TD-SCDMA to TD-LTE," said Mats H Olsson, head of region China and North East Asia of Ericsson. "Now we are further strengthening that commitment by this strategic cooperation with Datang. Our promise remains the same: We will always strive for providing the best TDD products and services to the Chinese consumers and to the world."
Chen Shanzhi, Vice President and CTO of Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group, said, "Ericsson is the world-renowned telecom solutions and services provider. The cooperation between Ericsson and Datang to jointly develop TDD products and solutions demonstrates the recognition of Datang's innovative R&D results, industrialization and market capabilities in the TDD field from mainstream telecom suppliers in the world. We believe that our joining forces will drive the globalization of TD-SCDMA and play an important role in the industrialization of TD-LTE in the long run."
