Nokia reshapes the telco industry

After completing the sale of its Devices and Services business to Microsoft on 25th April 2014, Nokia is reinventing its business with a three-pronged approach: Networks, HERE, and Technologies. While it’s no longer a manufacturer of mobile devices, its expertise in mobile broadband technology remains its core business proposition; a 2.7 billion Euro business as seen in its Q1 2014 interim report.

Nokia’s restructure allows the company to reposition itself as one of the world’s largest software companies, and to meet its goals as a leader in technologies for a world where everyone and everything is connected.

Nokia’s Networks business (previously known as Nokia Solutions and Networks) still serves more than 90 of the world’s 100 largest mobile operators, and is ranked second in telecommunications services and third in mobile radio. Networks has remained profitable, with 10 consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow, and is currently ranked as a ‘Leader’ for three years in a row by Gartner for LTE Network Infrastructure in 2014.

As an early leader in virtualisation and cloud technologies, Nokia has identified 10 key global trends that it believes will shape the telecommunications industry. In Malaysia, the key trends are: New spectrum and the growth of mobile data; mixed radio technologies; network sharing and consolidation; telco cloud and virtualisation; and data analytics with cognitive networks.

Operators in Malaysia are driving tremendous mobile data growth through LTE. On average, compounded growth rate of mobile data usage in Asia Pacific over a period of five years is 32 per cent, but with LTE, this could grow to more than 80 per cent, according to ABI Research March 2014 report.

Malaysia is a country with a mixed radio environment. With operators running 3G, HSUPA and LTE, Nokia’s flexible solutions will allow telcos to cater to the whole spectrum. It is also not uncommon for Malaysian operators to share their network and consolidate their operations, either through partnerships or acquisitions. For example, the recent purchase of P1 by Telekom Malaysia provides opportunities for telcos to look into at least three or four technology areas in the country. These flexible solutions let operators make full use of the spectrum in a mixed radio environment.

For network efficiency, telcos are also paying attention to the latest cloud innovations. The recent telco cloud solution provides more flexibility in the delivery of services and in exploring new business models. These are aspects that Malaysian telcos are currently evaluating, and will be a reality in the next two years. Data from these cognitive networks will also allow operators to deliver a more customised user experience and is a way to differentiate their offerings from the other operators.

Nokia recently revisited Mobile World Congress in Kuala Lumpur, and showcased its latest innovations geared to place operators at the very top of their game. Some of these innovations are:

1. Telco Cloud: Telcos in the Cloud
Continuous traffic growth and unpredictable traffic patterns are challenges in maintaining a quality network experience. At the same time, the capacity to provide a great network experience and implement new services quickly is extremely important to drive revenue.

Nokia’s Telco Cloud is a solution that combines Network Functions Virtualisation and Operations Support System that help operators prepare, implement and run their own telco clouds, and migrate existing telco services to cloud-based networks.

Nokia’s telco cloud is considered revolutionary in the sense that operators can now manage unanticipated data growth with elastic scaling of mobile networks. This solution reduces the total cost of ownership with standardised platforms and has a high level of automation.

2. Liquid Applications: Faster Services in Real Time
Retaining profitability while delivering superior quality services has always been the two main priorities for telcos. One of the ways Nokia assists telcos with this is with Liquid Applications. It works by plugging Nokia’s Radio Applications Cloud Server (RACS) into the standard IT middleware at a base station. The server taps into the base station’s existing capabilities, and extracts real-time network insights; allowing operators to rapidly move from problem identification to precisely pinpointing the cause of service degradation.

Liquid Applications enhances the user experience through acceleration with nearby content that can be delivered faster. This improves time-to-content and cuts download time by up to 80 per cent. Nokia’s Liquid Application also collects real-time data, and allow telcos to leverage that data and insight from their own network. With the necessary information, operators can offer their customers the best context-related and location-based services.

3. Customer Experience Management: Winning with Customers
According to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission 2013 Digital Lifestyle Malaysia report, Malaysian mobile phone penetration increased to 143.4 per cent in 2013 from 128.7 per cent in 2012. This growing customer base and its demands for quality services will require a tried and tested customer management system.

Nokia’s Customer Experience Management (CEM) Umbrella Solutions is aimed at helping operators manage their customers’ experience through a user-friendly online portal. This CEM Umbrella Solution allows operators to access and share their network information across their organisation; allowing engineers to address customer issues from consumer reports and dashboards. Whenever mobile service is affected, engineers can drill down immediately to individual customer accounts and fix the problem.

4. Voice over VoLTE: Crystal Clear Connectivity
With more mobile devices equipped with LTE capabilities, more Malaysian telcos will start offering LTE services to consumers. Despite this shift to data-centric services, 70 per cent of telco revenues still rely on existing voice and SMS services.

Nokia’s Voice over LTE (VoLTE) fulfils the vision of mobile broadband over LTE with high quality voice, video and multimedia services. VoLTE with SRVCC (Single Radio Voice Call Continuity) also provides subscribers the flexibility to roam seamlessly between LTE and 3G areas without experiencing call drops.

A full integration of existing networks with Nokia’s VoLTE solution requires no drastic changes to the mobile voice network. Full voice service continuity with faster roll-out means that operators can continue their network upgrades without any down time.

Connectivity at its Core

As the world’s specialist in mobile broadband, Nokia’s Networks business will continue to invent new capabilities valuable to telcos and be at the forefront of mobile technology. Network’s focus will continue to provide telcos with efficient solutions with the intelligence to maximise value and run seamlessly.

TM TURNS IN HEALTHY PERFORMANCE FOR 1Q2014 – GROUP REVENUE OF RM2.62 BILLION, UP 8.1% YOY; PROFIT BEFORE TAX UP 21.8% YOY TO RM279.6 MILLION

• Group Revenue grew 8.1% YOY to RM2.62 billion
• Group Reported Operating Profit (EBIT) rose 6.3% YOY to RM316.8 million
• Group Profit Before Tax (PBT) surged 21.8% YOY to RM279.6 million
• Reported Group Profit (PATAMI) stood at RM 210.6 million
• Maintains position as Malaysia’s broadband champion; 
• Strong YOY broadband customer base growth 5.7% to 2.23 million
• Strong UniFi growth of 22.6% YOY with over 665,000 customers 

Kuala Lumpur, 28 May 2014. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2014, where the Group posted a Revenue growth of 8.1% YOY to RM2.62 billion from RM2.42 billion in the corresponding period last year. The growth was mainly driven by Internet, Data and Other services.

Group Reported Operating Profit (Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)) grew 6.3% YOY to RM316.8 million from RM298.0 million in 1Q2013.

Correspondingly, Group Profit Before Tax (PBT) increased 21.8% to RM279.6 million in the current quarter from RM229.5 million in 1Q2013 due to lower net finance cost and net forex gain.

Reported Group Profit or Profit After Tax And Non-controlling Interest (PATAMI) stood at RM210.6 million in the current year quarter. Group Normalised PATAMI was lower by 20.8% YOY to RM185.3 million due to expiry of tax incentives in September last year.

Tan Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Group Chief Executive Officer, TM, said: "We’re pleased to report that we started the year with an encouraging set of results. For the first quarter 2014, we recorded group revenue of RM2.62 billion, an increase of 8.1% against the corresponding period last year. This commendable growth was due to positive growth in our key products, Internet, Data and Other services. Our Operating Profit also improved by 6.3% YOY to RM316.8 million. We also reported an improved capex/revenue ratio, which reduced from 9.7% to 7.7%.”

Tan Sri Zam went on to comment, “As Malaysia’s Broadband Champion, our customer base grew 5.7% from 2.11 million in 1Q2013 to 2.23 million customers in the current quarter, with continued growth seen both in UniFi and Streamyx. UniFi demand remains strong, and we recorded a 22.6% growth YOY with close to 653,000 customers, a net add of about 121,000 customers. UniFi continues to see a healthy growth, with over 665,000 customers to date. UniFi is now available via 1.507 million ports providing coverage to 2.512 million premises on the back of 105 exchanges. This translates to about 43% take-up rate. More customers are taking up our high speed broadband packages of 4Mbps and above, and as at March 2014, 43% of our customers are now high speed broadband users. We are also happy to note that the take up of 8Mbps Streamyx package offered in non-Unifi areas recorded a 42% growth as compared to last quarter. We remain focused on giving the best experience to our customers. In line with the growing demand for data, we will continue to offer innovative products, with integrated and strong value propositions that will make our customers’ lives easier at home and beyond. It is important that we keep up the progress we are making across the Group whilst continuing to deliver enhanced customer experience via the various improvement initiatives we have embarked on to improve our levels of service.”

In the first quarter, Internet services turned in a revenue of RM726.1 million, a growth of 12.7% YOY from RM644.3 million recorded in 1Q2013 driven primarily by growth in UniFi customers and higher subscription for HyppTV Content. Data revenue increased by 3.5% YOY to RM605.5 million in the current quarter from RM584.8 million in 1Q2013 driven by new circuits installations and upgrade to higher bandwidth.

TM also sustained its capital and cost efficiencies, with capex/revenue ratio improved to 7.7% against 9.7% in 1Q2013. Total capex spent for 1Q2014 was RM200.7 million, of which RM110.4 million was for HSBB.

Prospects for the Current Financial Year Ending 31 December 2014

The outlook for telecom industry for 2014 remains positive, with data and broadband continuing to be the key driver for growth. TM expects a good year ahead with domestic demand continuing to be the key driver for growth, together with improving external demand and strong private investments. This is supported by the projected Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) 2014 GDP growth outlook of 5.3%. 2015 sees GDP growth projected to improve to 5.5%, mainly driven by economic efficiency and innovation. (Source: Malaysian Economic Outlook, MIER, 24 April 2014).

2014 is a Game Changing year for TM with its ongoing transformation journey towards becoming an Information and Innovation Exchange. TM will continue to strengthen our position as the Broadband Champion in Malaysia as we foresee that the take-up of our high value broadband packages will still continue. TM expects higher HyppTV viewership with the introduction of attractive promotions such as the recent ‘Hypp-Normous Deal’ and the current ‘Stream Champion Deal’. In addition, the Group will continue to enhance our content such as the recent launch of ‘Dunia Sinema’, Malaysia’s first dedicated Malay movie channel. HyppTV currently offers customers 117 channels consisting of 28 free channels with 8 Radio Channels and 50 premium channels (of which 34 channels are HD), 18 Video-On-Demand (VOD) genres and 21 interactive channels.

TM will continue with its commitment to push Malaysian SMEs up the value chain. This year, TM organises its 3rd edition of its TM SME BizFest 2014 – themed “Innovate to Dominate” - which serves as a platform for SMEs to understand how ICT can empower their businesses. TM had also recently launched UniFi BIZ 100, a dual play (2P) offering enabling SMEs customers to enjoy high speed internet access of 100 Mbps and voice service.

In anticipation of customers’ needs and their ever increasing expectations, TM recently entered into a partnership with Green Packet Berhad and SK Telekom Co. Ltd. This will reflect our aspiration to become the leading next-generation converged communication services provider. Through P1, TM is working to expand our capabilities into the wireless broadband space more efficiently thus enabling the Company to provide a complete portfolio of services to our valued customers. This partnership lays the foundation for the development of a new LTE platform and opening up possibilities for the Group to deliver fully integrated high-quality internet, data and application across all market segments.

TM looks forward to continuing its fresh and innovative approaches to the market as is committed to make ‘Life Made Easier’ and ‘Business Made Easier’ with TM.

Barring unforeseen circumstances the Board of Directors expects 2014 to be a positive year for TM.

Samsung injects a dose of gold and electric blue into the GALAXY S5

Consumers continue to power up their lives with Samsung's latest smartphone

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 26 May 2014 – The perforated pattern on the back cover of the newly-launched GALAXY S5 smartphone is now given a brand new look through the arrival of two new colour variants – gold and electric blue.Samsung Malaysia Electronics today announced the availability of both colours.

Lee Dong Yong, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics said: "The introduction of the two colour variants continues to emphasise the iconic design of the GALAXY S5. We hope to create opportunities for our consumers to improve their everyday lives, be it through a fashion trend, a favourite feature or simply, a holistic smartphone experience. This fuels our desire to deliver people-inspired innovation with essential features for day-to-day use."

With the advanced camera on the GALAXY S5, users can capture precious memories with professional-like picture quality. Its 16MP camera allows users to rapidly shot images, thanks to the fast auto focus speed of up to 0.3 seconds. The advanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature reproduces natural light and colour to ensure photos taken are as close to what we see through our eyes. Meanwhile, the Selective Focus allows users to blur background objects and patterns, leaving the main subject of the photo focused and become the centre of attention, just as how a professional photographer would have shot it.

The GALAXY S5 also boosts faster network connectivity, with the most advanced 4G LTE performance. Zealous movie fans can now download their favourite movies faster than before. The new Download Booster function combines WiFi and LTE to boost data speed for faster upload and download, especially for large files like music, videos and images.

On top of that, the GALAXY S5 doubles as a fitness tool with a built-in heart rate sensor and an enhanced S Health app that serves as a personal fitness tracker, via tools such as a pedometer, diet and exercise records. It is akin to having your very own coach who monitors your diet and keeps track of your exercise records so that you are in good shape.

The GALAXY S5 is ready to take on the world, and equipped with vital tools to ensure that consumers can use the device with ease, be it rain or shine, coffee spill or even toilet accidents. An IP67 certification on the GALAXY S5 renders it dust and water-resistant up to 1 metre for 30 minutes, which offers a security blanket for consumers in moments of unavoidable minor accidents.

The Samsung GALAXY S5 retails for RM2,399 and is available in four colours – black, white, gold and electric blue – at all Samsung Experience Stores and authorised retailers.

For multimedia content and more information about the Samsung GALAXY S5, please visit www.samsung.com/my or visit Samsung Mobile Malaysia Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/samsungmobilemalaysia.

MAXIS KICKS OFF CHINESE NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES WITH LAUNCH OF HOTLINK 4G

• Prepaid customers get to experience the fastest and widest 4G network in the country with Hotlink 4G
• Enjoy 50% additional data with the purchase of a 1GB or 3GB monthly internet pass 
• Exciting activities and prizes this Chinese New Year, including a chance to win tickets to Da Mouth & DJ Tenashar concert

Morten Lundal, Maxis’ Chief Executive Officer (centre, back row), and Dushyan Vaithiyanathan, Maxis’ Head of Consumer Business (third from left, back row), together with the ‘God of Prosperity’ and Hotlink 4G roller bladers at the launch of the Maxis Chinese New Year campaign, held earlier today at the KLCC iCentre.

Kuala Lumpur, 13 January 2014. Maxis Berhad (Maxis) got its Chinese New Year celebrations underway today with the launch of Hotlink 4G, enabling prepaid customers to experience even faster internet speeds on Malaysia's first and widest 4G network.

Morten Lundal, Maxis’ Chief Executive Officer, distributing ‘Ang Pows’ to Maxis customers at the KLCC iCentre earlier today.

All customers need to do is to purchase a #Hotlink SIM pack for RM8.80, and do a 4G SIM swap at any Maxis Centre nationwide. They will then need to subscribe to a 1GB or 3GB monthly mobile internet pass, priced at RM30 and RM68 respectively, to start enjoying faster speeds on Maxis’ 4G network. To subscribe to the passes, customers need to dial *100# from their mobile phones. Customers will also get 50% more data if they purchase the monthly mobile internet passes from today until 28 February.

Morten Lundal, Maxis’ Chief Executive Officer (centre) and Dushyan Vaithiyanathan, Maxis’ Head of Consumer Business (third from right), together with the ‘God of Prosperity’ and Hotlink 4G roller bladers at the launch of the Maxis Chinese New Year campaign, held earlier today at the KLCC iCentre.

Dushyan Vaithiyanathan, Maxis’ Head of Consumer Business said, “Following the launch of #Hotlink in September last year, we have taken a step further to enhance our prepaid customers’ mobile experience by enabling them to surf the internet at even faster speeds. Today, more and more people are accessing richer content on their devices, such as video and music streaming as well as data-heavy websites. So Hotlink 4G is a natural progression and makes sense for customers as they get to enjoy an even better experience, and no one does it better than Maxis!”

The Maxis team kicking off its Chinese New Year campaign and introduced Hotlink 4G earlier today at Menara Maxis.

The journey of Maxis’ Chinese New Year campaign and Hotlink 4G kicked off with Maxis’ Chief Executive Officer Morten Lundal, together with the God of Prosperity and a group of 20 roller-bladers, handing out ‘Ang Pows’ to the public at the KLCC Maxis Centre and around the KLCC fountain area.

The Hotlink 4G roller bladers and promoters make their way around the KLCC area to spread the word about Maxis’ Chinese New Year campaign and Hotlink 4G. 

Over the next few weeks, the roller bladers will head towards roadshows in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru during which the public can participate in exciting games and activities. The final roadshow will take place from 7 – 9 February, where customers will stand a chance to win tickets to a special Hotlink-sponsored concert, featuring Taiwanese hip hop band Da Mouth and Hong Kong-based DJ Tenashar, on 15 February. Subscribers of the 1GB or 3GB Mobile Internet passes can also participate in SMS contests to stand a chance to win VIP tickets to the concert.

To learn more about Hotlink 4G, visit www.hotlink.com.my.

U MOBILE BRINGS FASTER, UNLIMITED MOBILE INTERNET EXPERIENCE THROUGH ITS 4G LTE SERVICES

Telco Officially Announces Availability of 4G LTE Services to Customers in Strategic Areas within Klang Valley and Johor Bahru, Providing 4G Internet Service for All

Petaling Jaya, 17 December 2013 – U Mobile Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s most dynamic and innovative mobile operator, has officially announced the availability of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G internet service, offering customers high speed mobile internet of up to 75 megabits per second (Mbps) at  best value rates for prepaid, postpaid and broadband plan customers. U Mobile is among the firsts in Malaysia to offer 4G LTE services to prepaid subscribers.

U Mobile is providing 4G LTE services for all - enabling new and existing prepaid plan, postpaid plan and broadband plan customers to enjoy high speed 4G LTE mobile internet in strategic areas within the Klang Valley, namely Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, Puchong and  Berjaya Times Square  as well as Taman Molek in Johor Bahru. U Mobile customers within the stated vicinities can now enjoy high speed mobile internet and broadband access, ideal for web-browsing, video streaming, downloading and uploading files, and staying connected with friends and family.

Wong Heang Tuck (second from left) Chief Operating Officer cum Acting CEO of U Mobile, and Too Tian Jen (second from right), Chief Technology Officer of U Mobile, officiating the launch of U Mobile 4G LTE by filling up the 4G symbol with an orange concoction.

“Mobile trends are evolving rapidly, and consumers today are seeking more than just internet access on their mobile phones – they are looking at high speed mobile internet for web-browsing, video streaming and staying connected with their loved ones. As the leading data centric operator, the roll out of 4G LTE services is a testament that we understand the pulse of our customers’ as well as industry needs and trends by expanding and diversifying our line of offering. We are looking at extending the 4G LTE network reach within the next few quarters, so that our customers can enjoy unlimited high speed mobile Internet, and an enhanced mobile experience with U Mobile,” said Wong Heang Tuck, Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO of U Mobile Sdn Bhd.

The 4G LTE eligible customers – prepaid, postpaid and broadband plan users will automatically enjoy 4G LTE services and speed whenever they are within the stated coverage areas with their LTE enabled mobile devices (handset or modem).  All the procedures are made easy, and hassle free without additional subscription, registration or the tedious procedure of changing the SIM card. To fully activate and enjoy the U Mobile 4G LTE services, customers will need to enable the 4G LTE service via SMS by typing “LTE ON” and send to 28118.

(From second left) Jasmine Lee, Director of Marketing; Wong Heang Tuck, Chief Operating Officer cum Acting CEO; Too Tian Jen, Chief Technology Officer; Alex Tan, Director of Sales; Tan Hoon San, Chief Financial Officer and Ng Siew Khim, Chief Corporate Service Officer of U Mobile Sdn Bhd.

The U Mobile prepaid and postpaid plans are designed to cater to various customer segment and mobile needs, distinguishing themselves through unlimited internet access, free calls, free SMS and various value-added services for an unrivalled mobile experience. On top of that, these features will serve as an additional avenue for the subscribers to stay connected with their friends and family.

U Mobile was one of the nine companies within the local mobile industry awarded with the 2,600MHz spectrum by MCMC. The company will be expanding its 4G LTE network reach by upgrading existing U Mobile infrastructures to enable 4G LTE services, while exploring other strategic approaches to enable its customers to enjoy high speed mobile internet that matches their digital lifestyle.

In conjunction with the 4G LTE launch, U Mobile will be offering attractive promotional LTE device bundle-plans starting from 17 December 2013 to 31 January 2014. Customers can now take home a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 at a price of RM999 when they sign up for the Ultimate Device 158 plan with a commitment fee of RM120 per month.

The U Mobile 4G LTE services are applicable to U Mobile 4G LTE coverage areas within Klang Valley -Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Berjaya Times Square and Taman Molek in Johor Bahru. U Mobile customers who are on the following plans are eligible for the 4G LTE services:-

• Prepaid plans -  UMI 38 and UMI 48
• Postpaid plans -  U58, U88, E58, E88, UD68, UD98, UD158, U Premium, U Platinum and Internet Share Plan 68
• Broadband plans -  MB40, MB68 and MB128 for prepaid and postpaid  plans
• Booster Plans -  Prepaid Booster 1GB and Postpaid Booster 1.5GB

Telstra readies Australia for extreme data speeds with 4G LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation

• Telstra and Ericsson successfully demonstrated speeds up to 300 Mbps with LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation of 40 MHz over 1800 MHz band and 2600 MHz bands on Telstra's live commercial network
• Ericsson uses LTE Advanced technology to enable operators to offer higher data speeds throughout the network, improving end users mobile broadband experience through better app, browsing and media performance
• Telstra plans to deploy the technology on 700 MHz spectrum once available 

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) successfully supported Telstra, Australia's leading telecommunication operator, in further enhancing its LTE Advanced (LTE-A) commercial service network.  Telstra and Ericsson successfully demonstrated 300 Mbps downlink speeds for a data transfer across Telstra's live network. The demonstration used Ericsson's commercially released LTE Advanced software which aggregated 20 MHz bandwidth within the 1800 MHz band and 20 MHz bandwidth within the 2600 MHz band. The demonstration included downloading video content from while measuring download throughput.

Mike Wright, Telstra Executive Director Networks, said that the tests were an important foundational step towards being able to deploy Cat 6 LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation when Telstra receives access to the 700MHz spectrum freed up by the Digital Dividend.

"The trials we conducted overnight demonstrate the ability to aggregate two channels of 20 MHz spectrum on our commercial network. While the download speeds we achieved of 300 Mbps are very impressive, for Telstra the main outcome is that we will be able to build out the capacity in our network to manage the future wireless data needs of our customers and continue to deliver them the most reliable network speeds and experience," said Wright.

Operators who want to offer a superior user experience need to build networks that provide both excellent voice and data coverage so that users can run all their favorite apps, including video, on smartphones and tablets.  

LTE Advanced enables operators to deliver even higher performance mobile data transfer when customers need it. Operators will be able to provide subscribers throughout the network with twice the data speeds that they are receiving today by joining 20 MHz in one band to 20 MHz in another. In ideal conditions, with speeds of up to 300 Mbps, consumers will be able to download a large 800 MB file in approximately 21 seconds.

Thomas Norén, Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson, said: "We are pleased to show with Telstra the network readiness of LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation beyond 20 MHz. The delivery of a superior mobile broadband experience remains key as smart device users depend more upon mobile broadband for everyday life. We also look forward to continuing our work with global chipset and handset manufacturers as the Carrier Aggregation ecosystem evolves further."

Ericsson is the market leader in LTE. Today, 50 percent of the world's LTE smartphone traffic is served by Ericsson networks, which is more than double the traffic of our closest competitor. Ericsson also powers the two world's first commercially launched LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation networks in South Korea.  More than 180 LTE RAN and Evolved Packet Core networks have been delivered worldwide, of which more than 110 have gone live commercially. Ericsson is present today in all high-traffic LTE markets including the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada, and has been selected by nine of the top 10 LTE operators as ranked by LTE subscriptions worldwide. We expect to hold 25 percent of all essential patents in LTE, both for TDD and FDD mode, and we support common hardware and software for FDD and TDD systems, giving operators maximum flexibility in their FDD and TDD deployment.

Huawei’s LTE 150M High Speed Mobile WiFi E5776 Now Available in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 8 November 2013: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, announced the availability of its LTE Category 4 multi-mode Mobile WiFi product - the HUAWEI E5776. This Mobile WiFi device supports Wi-Fi 2×2, providing a LTE network download speed of up to 150Mbps. With a battery life lasting up to 10 hours, the E5776 can simultaneously support the connection of 10 devices with Wi-Fi access to an LTE network.

Featuring a horizontal screen design and a sleek streamlined design, the E5776 is all about speed and ease of use. With this latest Mobile WiFi device from Huawei, downloading a 1GB high-definition movie on a Cat 4 150Mbps LTE network takes less than a minute. It is compatible with more than 95% of battery-powered devices on the market that connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, allowing convenient access to the LTE wireless broadband network anytime, anywhere. The E5776’s Mobile Control function allows users to monitor, access and edit the E5776’s settings via their mobile phone. The device’s SD Share function enables the sharing of pictures, documents, music, and video files from their SD cards with their friends via Wi-Fi.

With the E5776, Huawei Device continues to lead the LTE industry. Its portfolio of industry-leading products include the industry's first LTE DD800 single-mode CPE Device B390, the world's first LTE/ UMTS/ GSM multi-mode data card E398, LTE TDD multi-mode data card E392, TDD/ FDD multi-mode CPE Device B593, and the Mobile WiFi E589. Huawei remains committed to the research and development of LTE technology and is committed to the commercialization of LTE technology globally.

The Huawei Mobile WiFi E5776 is priced at RM599 and is available at all Huawei authorized dealers. For Maxis subscribers, the device comes free with a data plan sign up starting from RM88 per month.

Ericsson Mobility Report: Global smartphone subscriptions to reach 5.6 billion by 2019

• Mobile subscriptions will reach 9.3 billion by 2019, 5.6 billion of which will be for smartphones 
• 90 percent of the world's population will be covered by WCDMA/HSPA in 2019 and 65 percent will be covered by LTE 
• Smartphone subscriptions will triple and smartphone traffic will increase 10 times between 2013 and 2019

The latest Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) Mobility Report reveals that mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 9.3 billion by 2019, and more than 60 percent of these - 5.6 billion - will be for smartphones. To support the smartphone user experience, WCDMA/HSPA networks are predicted to cover 90 percent of the world's population by 2019. Moreover, almost two-thirds (65 percent) of the world's population will be covered by 4G/LTE networks.

Currently, smartphones represent 25-30 percent of all mobile phone subscriptions, yet they account for the majority (55 percent) of mobile phones sold in Q3.

Douglas Gilstrap, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy at Ericsson, says: "The rapid pace of smartphone uptake has been phenomenal and is set to continue. It took more than five years to reach the first billion smartphone subscriptions, but it will take less than two to hit the 2 billion mark1. Between now and 2019, smartphone subscriptions will triple.

"Interestingly, this trend will be driven by uptake in China and other emerging markets as lower-priced smartphone models become available."

Smartphone traffic will grow by 10 times between 2013 and 2019, reaching 10 exabytes. Video is growing 55 percent annually, and will represent more than 50 percent of the mobile data traffic, while social networking and web services will account for around 10 percent each in 2019.

This edition of Ericsson Mobility Report includes further analysis of app coverage2 - a new approach to evaluating network performance and user experience - with particular focus on indoor and city environments. Radio signals attenuate rapidly as they go through buildings and the high concentration of users, building material and height all pose additional challenges.

Having good mobile coverage is an important aspect of life for many; it is now ranked among the top five satisfaction factors of life in a city. As the majority of mobile traffic originates from cities, Ericsson compares three different strategies to provide indoor coverage using simulation software to predict the extent of app coverage in high-rise buildings in this issue.

To accompany the Mobility Report, Ericsson has created the Traffic Exploration Tool, for creating customized graphs and tables using data from the report. The information can be filtered by region, subscription, technology, traffic and device type.

1Estimated growth in total smartphone subscriptions, 2012 to 2014
2App coverage measures the network's ability to deliver sufficient performance to run a particular application at an acceptable quality level

Telstra and Ericsson conduct world's first LTE broadcast on live network

• Telstra showcased live video and large file delivery over their live LTE network 
• Ericsson's LTE Broadcast solution enables new revenue models for premium content and efficiently utilizes available LTE spectrum and network resources 
• Broadcast highlights how LTE networks can deliver the highest-quality video content to anyone, anywhere, anytime without buffering

Australia's leading telecommunications provider, Telstra, announced that it has completed the world's first LTE Broadcast session on a commercial LTE network. Ericsson's (NASDAQ:ERIC) LTE Broadcast Solution was successfully activated and tested on Telstra's live network with the transmission of concurrent video feeds and large files to enabled devices.

During the demonstration, the devices received different video feeds, including a sports match replay, sporting network news, horse racing coverage and news. Additionally, the devices received a large file using the single LTE Broadcast channel.

Mike Wright, Telstra Executive Director, Networks said: "The trial is an important step in testing this technology to see how it provides network efficiencies while providing consumers the content they want in a high-quality experience. Our goal is to ensure consumers can get the content they are looking for easily and to explore the wider benefits that might be obtained using broadcasting technology."

Thomas Norén, Vice President and Head of Project Area Radio, Ericsson says: "LTE Broadcast provides the ability to send the same content simultaneously to a very large number of devices in a target area. Mobile operators can use this ability and monetize their media and network assets for new services. Revenue generation and cost-saving opportunities are significant and provide an attractive value proposition for mobile operators."

Ericsson's LTE Broadcast solution will transform the video experience, offering the highest quality broadcast video over LTE networks and enabling service providers to optimize the use of the existing spectrum and networks, both dynamically and efficiently.

Qualcomm Labs' LTE Broadcast SDK and Middleware enabled these features on the trial devices running on Qualcomm® Snapdragon(TM) processor and integrated modem platforms.

"This is a significant milestone towards making LTE Broadcast a commercial reality," said Mazen Chmaytelli, senior director of business development, Qualcomm Labs, Inc. "We are pleased to be working closely with Telstra and Ericsson to deliver an enhanced mobile experience using Qualcomm Labs' LTE Broadcast SDK and Middleware running on Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and integrated modem platforms." Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Unique content can be delivered concurrently to a large number of subscribers, for example multiple video feeds with different angles for close-up views or replays during live sporting events. Other uses include sending updates and content to digital signage or billboards.

Consumers can also enjoy pre-loaded updates of things like software or the morning paper, so they don't need to wait for downloads in high-traffic situations.

Ericsson's Mobility Report 2013 predicts that video traffic in mobile networks will grow by around 60 percent annually until 2018. LTE Broadcast enhances LTE unicast delivery to ensure the most effective delivery of content to very large numbers of consumers in a particular area. Today, leading LTE mobile operators are trialing the technology and use cases globally to explore the business potential.

ASUS Next-Generation PadFone Infinity (A80)

LTE smartphone with 5-inch Full HD display combines with a 10.1-inch tablet dock for seamless mobile flexibility

ASUS PadFone™ Infinity (A80) is a powerful LTE smartphone with a sleek metallic design and a 5-inch Full HD display that becomes a 10.1-inch tablet when docked to its companion PadFone™ Infinity Station. PadFone™ Infinity (A80) features Android 4.1 and groundbreaking mobile performance, thanks to its next-gen Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 processor with quad-core CPU and up to 19 hours of 3G talk time.

Premium design with premium performance
With a slender unibody design crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum, ASUS PadFone™ Infinity (A80) is both beautiful and durable. The 5-inch screen features a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution with an extraordinary 441 pixels-per-inch for text so crisp it looks like a printed page, and wonderfully detailed high-resolution images. 64GB of storage complements the class-leading Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 1.7GHz processor with quad-core CPU for a smooth and responsive premium Android experience, while 100Mbit/s LTE and 42Mbit/s DC-HSPA+ ensure super-fast web browsing and downloads.

ASUS PadFone™ Infinity (A80) features a high-performance 13-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 five-element lens that captures incredibly detailed images, with no shutter lag. A dedicated image signal-processor enhances low-light image quality and enables PadFone™ Infinity (A80) to capture up to 100 sequential photos at eight frames-per-second, while simultaneously recording 1080p Full HD video. PadFone™ Infinity (A80) can also output 1080p Full HD video via its Micro-USB-compatible MyDP port.

Share apps and mobile data instantly
The unique two-in-one nature of ASUS PadFone™ removes the tedious need to synchronize data between smartphone and tablet. Data and settings on PadFone™ Infinity (A80) are available instantly on PadFone™ Infinity Station upon docking and running apps are smoothly reformatted to fit the larger display. Mobile data bills are also reduced, since a single data plan can be shared between both devices.

PadFone™ Infinity (A80) comes with new and exclusive ASUS apps, including SuperNote 3.1 for note taking, Story for creating stunning photo albums and ASUS Echo for voice control of PadFone™ Infinity.
PadFone™ Infinity (A80) has up to 19 hours of 3G talk time, which increases to up to 40 hours when docked into PadFone™ Infinity Station. PadFone™ Infinity Station also has sufficient battery capacity to fully recharge the docked PadFone™ Infinity (A80) up to three times.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING
 ASUS PadFone Infinity (A80) is available in Malaysia from today onwards.
 The combined price of PadFone Infinity (A80) [32GB] and PadFone Infinity Station is RM 2,699 (SRP).

Instant messaging driving smartphone uptake in Malaysia

• Recent ConsumerLab analysis indicates that Malaysia smartphone penetration has increased from 47% in 2012 to 63% in 2013 among daily Internet users. 

• Tablet penetration has increased from 14% in 2012 to 39% in 2013 

• Apps usage jumped from 54% in 2012 to 76% in 2013  

• Total global smartphone subscriptions hit the 1.2 billion mark in 2012, and are due to reach 4.5 billion by the end of 2018 

• 60 percent of the world's population due to be covered by LTE in 2018 

In a recently-concluded analysis by Ericsson ConsumerLab in Southeast Asia and Oceania, research data from 2013 shows that among daily internet users, Malaysia smartphone penetration has increased from 47% in 2012 to 63% in 2013 while tablet penetration has increased almost three-fold from 14% in 2012 to 39% in 2013.

A noticeable change is the jump in apps usage from 54% in 2012 to 76% in 2013 among Malaysian daily internet users.

Afrizal Abdul Rahim, Head of ConsumerLab South East Asia & Oceania.

“The key drivers to purchase a smartphone are to connect to the internet and to be in touch. People’s aspiration to upgrade their current phone and own a smartphone is another key driver,” said Afrizal Abdul Rahim, Head of ConsumerLab South East Asia & Oceania.

“Mobile data services continue to experience tremendous growth among smartphone users especially for instant messaging, social network and video streaming.”

Smartphone penetration increased by 16% from 2012 to 2013. “Malaysia started with 47% smartphone penetration in 2012 among daily Internet users. Even as ownership already registered a 16% increase to 63% for 2013, an additional 17% of the respondents surveyed indicated that they would buy a smartphone in the next six months.”

SMS and Internet usage have increased among smartphone users in Malaysia, particularly instant messaging usage which has increased significantly. 2012 was about social networks and 2013 is about personal networks (IM).

Word of mouth and curiosity to try out a new app are the main factors that drive a user to download apps. App users are also motivated by an app’s functionality as well as the ability to communicate.

Among daily internet users, tablet penetration on the other hand increased by 25% from 2012 to 2013. Similar to smartphone, Internet connectivity is an important driver for tablet purchase. The convenience of using a tablet over a computer and smartphone due its size are also key drivers for tablet purchase. From a usage perspective, tablets are nocturnal devices; they are mostly used at night at home. This is followed by the tablet being used as time fillers and as companions during holidays.

Todd Ashton, President of Ericsson Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

The findings on smartphone penetration for Malaysia are aligned with Ericsson’s global findings in its June 2013 Mobility Report.  “Based on the data that we gathered from the networks that we manage around the world, we now forecast an even stronger uptake of smartphones. Smartphone subscriptions in 2018 are now forecast to reach 4.5 billion compared to our previous (Nov 2012) forecast of 3.3 billion in 2018. This is not least due to a notable increase in the number of smartphone subscriptions in APAC and MEA regions, as subscribers switch their basic phone subscriptions into smartphone subscriptions,” said Todd Ashton, President of Ericsson Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Malaysians’ growing interest in apps, social media, video and instant messaging is also in line with the Mobility Report’s findings that mobile data traffic continued to double from last year.  “Video will be around 50% of mobile traffic in 2018, according to our estimates,” Todd said.

“Traffic in mobile networks continues to grow at an impressive rate worldwide. While voice remains a cornerstone of most operators' service offerings, it is data growth, driven by the uptake of smart devices and apps, which is having the most significant impact on networks globally.”

According to the Mobility Report, a smartphone user is expected to more than quadruple mobile monthly data consumption by 2018 compared to today, and will reach an average of 2GB data per user in 2018.  

“We expect that Malaysian mobile subscribers will indeed increase their mobile monthly data consumption, as its citizens are considered early adopters and innovators when it comes to technology,” Todd stated. “It’s already apparent in the data that we have gathered. Today, as we have seen, Malaysian app usage is ahead compared with its neighbors in Southeast Asia and even in Oceania.”

1, Including inactive smartphone subscriptions. Number of active subscriptions forecasted to 3.9 billion in 2018.

World’s first commercial LTE-Advanced call on 1800MHz and 900MHz

• Telstra and Ericsson make the world’s first call on combined 1800MHz and 900MHz spectrum bands on commercial network 
• 1800MHz and 900MHz spectrum bands are readily available to operators as they move subscribers from 2G to 3G and 4G technologies.
• Ericsson uses LTE-Advanced technology to help operators match their spectrum assets while enabling higher data speeds

Ericsson has announced that Australia’s leading telecommunications provider Telstra is the first to use the LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) Carrier Aggregation technology on 1800MHz and 900MHz spectrum bands on a commercial network. This took place on July 31, when Telstra transferred data across its live network on a number of sites in Queensland (Australia) carrying commercial traffic.

00000LTE Carrier Aggregation is the next step in the evolution of high-speed mobile broadband services, enabling operators to make the most of their existing spectrum assets by combining multiple spectrum bands to enable higher mobile broadband download speeds.

Mike Wright, Executive Director Networks, Telstra, says: “Telstra’s LTE subscriber numbers are growing dramatically, with nearly 3 million subscribers currently using the LTE network, up from 2.1 million six months ago. The capacity, higher data speeds and efficiencies provided by LTE-Advanced will help manage growth in data traffic as more customers choose our network. This will allow us to continue providing additional capacity and high-quality service, and we look forward to working with Ericsson to make this happen.”

“When we get access to 700MHz spectrum in 2015 we also intend to deploy the next-generation of LTE-Advanced by combining larger blocks of spectrum in the 700MHz and 1800MHz bands to deliver blistering peak speeds in the theoretical range of 300Mbps.”

Håkan Eriksson, Head of Ericsson Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, says: “Across the region and the globe, many operators have spectrum available in the 1800MHz and 900MHz bands as they migrate subscribers from 2G to 3G or 4G. Many operators will be watching the Australian deployment of LTE-Advanced on these spectrum bands.”

Ericsson is supporting the deployment of LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation on other spectrum bands in other countries such as South Korea. On July 18, for instance, Ericsson supported LG U+ in South Korea to commercially launch LTE-Advanced using both 2100MHz and 850MHz bands.

SingTel first to provide roaming customers with Auto Network Selection

• Network selection feature automatically connects roamers’ mobile devices to preferred partner networks
• Protects customers from accidental connection to providers outside partner networks
• Feature supports LTE roaming as well as 2G and 3G roaming

SingTel is the first mobile operator worldwide to provide customers with a network selection feature that automatically connects customers’ mobile devices to preferred partner networks when roaming. The service comes with SingTel’s DataRoam Saver plans and is based on Ericsson’s (NASDAQ: ERIC) Service-Aware Charging and Control solution. It ensures that data is only consumed when devices are connected to SingTel’s partner networks.

Johan Buse, Vice President of Consumer Marketing at SingTel, says: "The auto-network selection feature provides our customers with a worry-free roaming experience by eliminating bill shock. With our DataRoam Saver and EasyDataRoam service, travellers have total control of their roaming expenses and can enjoy tremendous cost savings in 44 countries worldwide. Activation of these services is also quick and simple with the use of our MySingTel app."

Nicholas Seow, President for Singapore and Brunei at Ericsson, says “We are delighted to partner with SingTel, the first operator globally to offer auto network selection for their customers. Ericsson’s Service-Aware Charging and Control solution provides the foundation for the delivery of high-quality, easy-to-use services, and makes it easy and convenient for subscribers to activate new services and control their spending. The feature also enables operators to ensure they are delivered with the expected quality-of-service which leads to greater user satisfaction.

The feature supports LTE roaming as well as 2G and 3G roaming.

MAXIS THE FIRST TO ACTIVATE 4G LTE FOR APPLE DEVICES

• All new and existing Maxis customers using iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad 4 can now enjoy super fast internet on Maxis’ 4G LTE network 
• Maxis quadruples its 4G LTE footprint, enabling more than 100,000 customers to enjoy super fast internet services
• Maxis expects to expand 4G LTE coverage further in Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru by Q3 2013

Kuala Lumpur, 9 April 2013. Find out how fast your iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad 4 can go with the nation’s largest 4G LTE network! Maxis Berhad (Maxis), Malaysia’s only integrated communications service provider, today announced that customers using the iPhone 5, as well as iPad mini and iPad 4 can now enjoy super-fast internet through its 4G LTE network. These three Apple devices join the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC One XL which were the first two smartphones to be activated on Maxis’ 4G LTE network.

Suren J Amarasekera, Maxis’ Joint Chief Operating Officer, said, “In 2009 Maxis was the pioneer to introduce the iPhone to Malaysia and now Maxis is proud to announce that Maxis users of Apple iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad with Retina display and iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular model will be the first in Malaysia to experience superior services on Maxis’ high speed 4G LTE network.  We firmly believe that our range of plans offer compelling value to our Apple users and will give them the opportunity to get the most out of the amazing features of these Apple devices.  We are certain that our Apple customers will be pleasantly surprised with the superb experience with Maxis’ 4G LTE network.”

Mark Dioguardi, Maxis’ Joint Chief Operating Officer, added, “Since the launch of our high-speed 4G LTE network on 1 January 2013, we have worked hard to expand our footprint. At present, we have successfully quadrupled our 4G LTE coverage, allowing approximately 100,000 customers to enjoy super fast internet from Maxis. With today’s announcement, even more customers will be able to enjoy incredible internet speeds from Maxis.

“We are extremely encouraged by the take up of our 4G LTE service and in response will expand 4G LTE coverage to more areas in the Klang Valley as well as Penang and Johor Bahru by the third quarter of 2013.”

With 4G LTE, customers using iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad 4 can now experience download speeds five to ten times faster than 3G, enabling them to upload pictures and video ten times faster and enjoying significantly quicker response time when they use their favourite applications like Facebook and YouTube. Customers can expect their Facebook news feeds to download up to four times faster, compared to HSPA+. Backing up or uploading of big files - for example more than 50MB - to Dropbox will be up to seven times faster.

Following the 4G LTE activation for iPhone 5, iPhone 5 customers on Maxis iValue plans as well as data plans of 1G and above will receive an SMS requesting them to update the settings on their respective devices. Once customers do so, they will automatically be able to experience 4G LTE speeds in Maxis 4G LTE coverage areas. In areas where 4G LTE services are not available, the device will automatically and seamlessly fall back onto Maxis’ 3G network.

Maxis now has 4G LTE service available in the following areas:
• Bangsar, Mont Kiara, Desa Park, Damansara Heights
• Cyberjaya
• Damansara Utama
• Kota Damansara, Sunway Damansara
• Puchong (Wawasan Puchong, Bandar Kinrara 1, Bandar Kinrara 3, Bandar Kinrara 4, Bandar Puteri)
• Seapark, Dataran Prima, Tropicana
• Petaling Jaya Section 13, 14, 17, 19, SS2
• Sunway, Kampung Tunku, SS2, SS3
• Taman Desa, Pantai Dalam, Old Klang Road
• Taman Gembira, Desa Petaling
• Taman Kinrara 2, Taman Kinrara 3, Taman Kinrara 4
• Taman Megah (SS23, SS24, SS26), Kelana Jaya
• Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Bandar Utama, Mutiara Damansara
• USJ3, USJ4, USJ5, USJ9, USJ11, USJ12, USJ13.

For more details, please refer to www.maxis.com.my/4GLTE

Ericsson signs 100th Evolved Packet Core contract

• Telstra and Ericsson agree to extend strategic partnership to deliver world-class LTE experience for Telstra users and expand Telstra's LTE network across Australia
• Advanced technology trial and subsequent deployment of LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation in 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum bands
• LTE heterogeneous network trial and LTE Broadcast trial to further enhance Telstra's network

Telstra and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced the renewal of their longstanding strategic partnership to deliver a world-class LTE experience for Telstra's users. The renewed contract, announced at the Mobile World Congress, will include an expansion of Telstra's LTE network across Australia, reaching more Australians with improved coverage, capacity and availability.

The partnership also includes the implementation of a program of advanced technology trials - of LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation, LTE heterogeneous networks and LTE Broadcast - to further enhance Telstra's network.

Nearly 1.6 million mobile subscribers have joined Telstra over the past 12 months and data usage on its Next G network is doubling each year.

David Thodey, Chief Executive Officer of Telstra, says: "Telstra is very proud of the work that we are undertaking with Ericsson to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of mobile connectivity. We believe these initiatives are a way of efficiently maintaining our high quality network and meeting sustained, growing customer demand."

By combining spectrum assets for LTE networks - such as the use of the 1800MHz and 900MHz bands - the LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation trial will pave the way for future improvements in capacity and coverage.

Ericsson's coordinated solution for small cells in heterogeneous networks ensures high-quality capacity and connectivity in even the most densely populated city areas. The Telstra trial will examine how small-cell technology can improve the future scalability and densification of its LTE network.

In the third trial for 2013, for the LTE Broadcast solution, Ericsson will deploy Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) technology into Telstra's live network. As part of the trial, premium video and file-based content will be broadcast over the LTE network to test how video and other content can be more efficiently delivered through application of dynamic offload, particularly in dense consumption scenarios.

Ericsson President and CEO Hans Vestberg says: "Under this agreement, Ericsson continues as Telstra's prime vendor of 3G and 4G RAN technology. The trials for Telstra will provide insights applicable not only on the Australian market but also globally. For example, the heterogeneous networks trial will be of interest to operators around the world who want to ensure capacity and connectivity in densely populated city areas. And the LTE Broadcast trial will show how Ericsson technology can deliver media content efficiently over LTE."

The agreement includes provision of hardware, software, customer service, construction services and the innovative technology trials.

During Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, Ericsson showcases its combined technology and services leadership for the ICT industry. Our solutions deliver superior network performance in the field, enable complete customer experience management, and simplify and automate operations workflows - thereby leading to operational excellence. We show how the Networked Society comes to life - what it will mean for the industry and how it will enable our customers to capture growth opportunities.

Ericsson Appoints Todd Ashton President Of Malaysia And Sri Lanka

• With 17-years’ experience in the ICT industry, Ashton takes on a new role as President for Ericsson Malaysia and Sri Lanka

• Global mobile data traffic doubled between Q3 2011 and Q3 2012, and is expected to grow 12 times between 2012 and 2018, driven by video. Ericsson anticipates similar trends in Malaysia 

• Globally, there were an additional 13 million LTE subscription in Q3 2012 and numbers are predicted to reach 1.6 billion by 2018

Ericsson today announced the appointment of Todd Ashton as President for Malaysia and Sri Lanka as of February 1, 2013. Born in Washington, D.C., Ashton has been based in Sweden since 1998, serving in various executive roles in Ericsson AB.

In his prior role as Global Head of Sales for Ericsson Consulting & Systems Integration, Ashton focused on working with Ericsson customers worldwide to monetize data by implementing new pricing packages enabled by advanced network capabilities, improve customer experience through executing network and service performance improvement programs, and achieve economic efficiency gains through process improvements and network and IT platform consolidations. Ashton has also worked in leadership roles across several portfolios within Ericsson, including IP backbone networks, OSS, BSS, and IP Multimedia software and services.

Ashton expects mobile data traffic in Malaysia to double in 2013, in line with the global trends reported in the recently published Ericsson Mobility Report. The report states that mobile data traffic is expected to grow with a CAGR of around 50 percent (2012-2018), driven mainly by video. This entails growth of around 12 times by the end of 2018. This increase will continue as people increasingly use mobile data in their everyday life.

“It is forecast that LTE population coverage in Asia Pacific (APAC) will increase to 60 percent by 2017, surpassing the global average of 50 percent in the same year. By 2017 APAC will account for around two thirds of the world’s LTE population coverage,” Ashton reveals. “Within South East Asia, Malaysia joins Singapore and the Philippines as early adopters of technology. With the recent spectrum assignment in Malaysia, we expect that several players will launch mobile broadband services based on LTE by the middle of this year, with Maxis already leading the charge.”

LTE is the fastest-developing system in the history of mobile communications in terms of build-out and uptake. LTE is currently being deployed in all regions and will have subscriptions increasing from around 55 million at the end of 2012 to an estimated 1.6 billion in 2018.

Commenting on Malaysians’ appetite for quality high-speed broadband services, Ashton said “With fiber-to-the-home deployments having close to 40 percent take up and household broadband penetration exceeding 65 percent, it is clear that there is a high demand in Malaysia for broadband. As broadband goes mobile, Malaysians will expect good coverage, with higher speeds and better quality of service, which is what our LTE technology will enable. The challenge for our customers will be to have a well-designed and optimized network supported by the latest tools and the most efficient processes. This is where Ericsson has a proven track record, delivering and managing the best performing and most profitable networks in the world”.

“These are truly exciting times for the Malaysian market. I am looking forward to sharing my global experience and continue our effort to develop the networked society for people in Malaysia”.

LG PASSES TEN MILLION MARK IN LTE SMARTPHONE SALES

March 4, 2013 -- LG Electronics (LG) reports that it has sold more than 10 million LTE smartphones worldwide, a result of the company’s aggressive push into 4G markets with a combination of the best hardware and advanced 4G LTE technologies.

“Aggressive pushing forward with 4G LTE technology allows LG satisfy the needs of consumers and is a huge factor in our growing success in global LTE smartphone sales,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of the LG Mobile Communications Company. “Having established ourselves as a major industry player, we will continue to expand our footprint in the global LTE market with a wider range of differentiated, high quality LTE smartphones.”

LG’s success in expanding its presence in this segment is a result of its early entry in-to the LTE market and its leadership in LTE research and development. Last year, LG launched popular LTE smartphones in significant markets such as the United States, Japan, Germany and South Korea. In recent weeks, the company began a global roll-out of its LG Optimus G in an additional 50 countries.

According to Strategic Analytics, global shipments of LTE smartphones are expected to drastically increase to 275 million units this year. LG is aiming to double its LTE smartphone penetration this year, expanding its presence in both established and emerging markets with a variety of devices. New for 2013, LG’s Optimus F series will deliver a high-speed experience to users transitioning from 3G to 4G LTE networks in countries around the world.

World's first complete solution for broadcast video over LTE networks

• New end-to-end LTE broadcast solution will revolutionize video delivery in mobile networks and address growing consumer demand for TV Anywhere services
• Enables operators to efficiently launch media services over LTE with Ericsson's unique combination of three new standards: eMBMS, HEVC and MPEG DASH
• Verizon Wireless to introduce LTE Broadcast for entertainment and sporting events beginning in 2014
• Leading mobile network operator Telstra to commence trials on its live network in 2013

As consumers demand access to their media content on all of their devices, TV and video traffic is set to dominate networks and grow from 40 percent to 90 percent of mobile traffic within the next 3-4 years. The result is increasing pressure on operators to enable their customers to enjoy the TV Anywhere experience, while at the same time managing network costs and efficiency.

Leading network operators are already seeing the potential that LTE brings. With its high speed and capacity, an LTE network can enable the delivery of high-quality video content to anyone, anywhere, anytime, without buffering. To respond to the growing need for video over LTE, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) is launching an exclusive end-to-end solution.

Ericsson's new LTE broadcast solution lifts the video experience to a new level, offering the highest-quality video content for popular events with guaranteed delivery. It enables operators and their media partners to provide premium services with guaranteed quality and cost-efficient delivery over LTE, bringing with it new sources of revenue.

Parissa Pandkhou, Director - Advanced Solutions, Verizon says "Verizon plans to introduce Ericsson LTE Broadcast to give sports fans a whole new experience while watching a game. We see new opportunities in this technology for sports, concerts and even distance learning and college classes."

Australian operator Telstra's Executive Director for Networks and Access Technology, Mike Wright confirmed that Telstra will partner with Ericsson on a live network trial of LTE Broadcast technology in the second half of 2013.

"The trial will show how we can improve the delivery of video to customers who want to enjoy the video content on the move. The key for this solution is the greater network efficiency it will provide, ensuring we will be able to meet a critical business imperative of giving our technology savvy customers the services they want. Working closely with a world leading technology company like Ericsson means we can really make a difference."

Peggy Johnson, Executive Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and President, Global Market Development, says: "We see a clear demand for the efficient delivery of video over mobile networks. To meet these needs, we are excited to be working with Ericsson to offer a cutting-edge solution for high-quality live and non-real-time media services over LTE broadcast-enabled networks."

Ulf Ewaldsson, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson says: "Ericsson is in a unique position to deliver LTE Broadcast. We are the only vendor that can blend insight on consumer habits, deep mobile networks expertise and twenty years of video compression technology leadership to help operators maximize the revenue opportunity represented by this rapid evolution in media consumption."

The LTE Broadcast solution consists of three new technology standards:
HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) - the new video compression standard promises to half the bandwidth required to transport video content compare to today's leading implementation of MPEG-4 AVC.

MPEG DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH)) - simplifies and standardizes the adaptive delivery of video to consumer devices, ensuring a better quality of service, greater efficiency and opening opportunities for monetization eMBMS (Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) - a 3GPP standard that enables mobile networks to offer broadcast/multicast services dynamically to offload issues of popular content in dense consumption scenarios, reducing the cost of service delivery over the radio network and for backhaul.

Ericsson's ConsumerLab research shows that 67 percent of consumers use mobile devices (tablet, laptop or smartphone) for consumption of TV services. Furthermore the research shows that over 50% of TV consumption on smartphone happens outside of the home (on mobile networks). The new video over LTE solution meets the needs for greater efficiency in the delivery of content to all devices and greater personalization of TV experiences.

Ericsson will showcase the complete solution at Mobile World Congress 2013 in collaboration with Verizon, Telstra and Qualcomm. Please visit us at Ericsson booth in Hall 2, Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, Feb 25 - 28, 2013. More information about Ericsson activities at the event can be found here: http://www.ericsson.com/mwc2013/

Ericsson and Telstra partner to enhance and expand LTE innovation

• Telstra and Ericsson agree to extend strategic partnership to deliver world-class LTE experience for Telstra users and expand Telstra's LTE network across Australia
• Advanced technology trial and subsequent deployment of LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation in 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum bands
• LTE heterogeneous network trial and LTE Broadcast trial to further enhance Telstra's network

Telstra and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced the renewal of their longstanding strategic partnership to deliver a world-class LTE experience for Telstra's users. The renewed contract, announced at the Mobile World Congress, will include an expansion of Telstra's LTE network across Australia, reaching more Australians with improved coverage, capacity and availability.

The partnership also includes the implementation of a program of advanced technology trials - of LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation, LTE heterogeneous networks and LTE Broadcast - to further enhance Telstra's network.

Nearly 1.6 million mobile subscribers have joined Telstra over the past 12 months and data usage on its Next G network is doubling each year.

David Thodey, Chief Executive Officer of Telstra, says: "Telstra is very proud of the work that we are undertaking with Ericsson to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of mobile connectivity. We believe these initiatives are a way of efficiently maintaining our high quality network and meeting sustained, growing customer demand."

By combining spectrum assets for LTE networks - such as the use of the 1800MHz and 900MHz bands - the LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation trial will pave the way for future improvements in capacity and coverage.

Ericsson's coordinated solution for small cells in heterogeneous networks ensures high-quality capacity and connectivity in even the most densely populated city areas. The Telstra trial will examine how small-cell technology can improve the future scalability and densification of its LTE network.

In the third trial for 2013, for the LTE Broadcast solution, Ericsson will deploy Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) technology into Telstra's live network. As part of the trial, premium video and file-based content will be broadcast over the LTE network to test how video and other content can be more efficiently delivered through application of dynamic offload, particularly in dense consumption scenarios.

Ericsson President and CEO Hans Vestberg says: "Under this agreement, Ericsson continues as Telstra's prime vendor of 3G and 4G RAN technology. The trials for Telstra will provide insights applicable not only on the Australian market but also globally. For example, the heterogeneous networks trial will be of interest to operators around the world who want to ensure capacity and connectivity in densely populated city areas. And the LTE Broadcast trial will show how Ericsson technology can deliver media content efficiently over LTE."

The agreement includes provision of hardware, software, customer service, construction services and the innovative technology trials.

During Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, Ericsson showcases its combined technology and services leadership for the ICT industry. Our solutions deliver superior network performance in the field, enable complete customer experience management, and simplify and automate operations workflows - thereby leading to operational excellence. We show how the Networked Society comes to life - what it will mean for the industry and how it will enable our customers to capture growth opportunities.

MAXIS THE FIRST TO LAUNCH 4G LTE SERVICE

•    Maxis 4G LTE service isnow available at Taman Tun Dr Ismail, DamansaraUtama, Desa Sri Hartamas, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Bandar Sunway and Cyberjaya
•    Maxis, the first telcoto connect its customers to 4G LTE service
•    Customers to enjoy high internet speeds of up to 75 Mbps, with typical average speeds of 10 to 30 Mbps

Kuala Lumpur, 1 January 2013. Maxis Berhad (Maxis), Malaysia’s leading integrated communications service provider, opened the year 2013 with another feather in its cap with the launch of 4G LTE services. Always at the forefront of technology, Maxis is proud to announce that its 4G LTE service, delivered on the first “true” 4G Network in Malaysia  is now available in selected parts of the Klang Valley including Taman Tun Dr Ismail,DamansaraUtama, Desa Sri Hartamas, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Bandar Sunway and Cyberjaya following its midnight launch on 1January 2013. Customers will enjoy speeds of up to 75Mbps, with typical average speeds of 10 to 30Mbps on the Maxis 4G LTE network. Maxis 4G LTE service will be available in other areas very soon.

Said Maxis’ Chief Executive Officer, Sandip Das, “This represents a crucial milestone in Maxis’ integrated journey.4G LTE operates at download speeds 5-10 times faster than 3G and will enable and sustain a seamless experience of rich content across both our high-speed fixed and wireless network platform in the country.  With Maxis 4G LTE, customers will experience a richer internet experience with greater download speeds, smoother HD video streams, lag-free gaming with better online satisfaction.Specifically for homes and businesses, Maxis 4G LTE will make possible super fast Internet access outside fibre broadband coverage. However, it is not just about speeds. Maxis, with our robust partnerships with leading device manufacturers and content players, is well placed to provide customers the true benefits of 4G LTE capabilities.As a company of many firsts, we will be bringing our customers the latest and most innovative 4G LTE services. Already, we have a rich ecosystem of beyond telecom services, from payment gateways, billing systems, to entertainment and education which will grow to leverage on 4G LTE technology, responding to the need for massive amounts of information to move across space in little to no time, creating new types of collaborations and customer value.”

Customers in the 4G LTE coverage areas who want to be among the first to experience 4G LTE service can now walk in to Maxis Centres in KLCC and Taman Tun Dr Ismail during normal operating hoursto sign up for the service. Customers can subscribe to any of the monthly Wireless Broadband packages from RM88.Very soon, other devices, including smart phones and tablets will be able to benefit from the speeds offered by the 4G LTE network.

Maxis was the first telco in Malaysia to complete extensive 4G LTE field trials. The Company has been trialling 4G LTE for 2 years and conducting extensive 4G LTE interworking tests in a live network environment using commercial devices, gaining enormous learning in the design, planning and optimisation of its 4G LTE network.The experience gained from the extensive field trials will certainly contribute towards ensuring that customers can enjoy seamless broadband experience on Malaysia’s widest and fastest network wherever they are located.