T-Mobile and Ericsson partner for 5G pre-standard trials

• T-Mobile and Ericsson will jointly evaluate the performance and applicability of potential 5G key technologies and develop a pre-standards based 5G test system for lab and field trials in the United States
• Trials to begin second half of 2016
• Builds upon Ericsson's long-standing partnership with T-Mobile for LTE-Advanced and network transformation

T-Mobile and Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) will together develop a 5G pre-standards based test system for lab and field trials in the United States. The two companies will develop and test selected 5G use-cases and services to enable T-Mobile to evaluate emerging 5G technologies, drive 5G development and standardization and to explore new business opportunities. Trials will begin in the second half of 2016.

With the latest Ericsson Mobility Report predicting 150 million 5G subscriptions by the end of 2021, mobile operators around the globe are working with Ericsson to develop 5G pre-standard lab and field trials to test advanced technologies for different use cases and services. 5G networks have the potential to significantly reduce latency, allow ultra-fast download and upload speeds, improve spectral efficiency and network reliability, provide fixed access to homes and businesses and substantially increase the number of devices that can simultaneously connect to the network.

Neville Ray, Chief Technology Officer of T-Mobile US, Inc. says: "We are excited to continue our work with Ericsson as we look forward to 5G. T-Mobile today is leading the way in building the best 4G network for our customers and we are ready to start planning for a superior 5G network." 

5G will help deliver a new wave of innovation in digital networks, which will benefit both consumers and a wide range of industries. It will be key in the development of the internet of things, enabling new applications for smart vehicles and transport architecture, remote control of heavy machinery in hazardous environments, remote surgery and new levels of human-IoT interaction including immersive augmented reality and immersive gaming.

Arun Bansal, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Radio, Ericsson, says: "With the commercialization of 5G on the horizon, pre-standard trials represent an important step in the path to 5G. We are proud to be working with T-Mobile in driving the development of 5G and ushering in a new era of the Networked Society."

Ericsson and its customers, including T-Mobile, are leading and driving the 5G standards work from pre-standard field trials through standardization activities along with influential standards bodies and industry. Ericsson has already announced more than 20 memorandums of understanding to test 5G with operators across the globe and tests of field-trial ready Ericsson 5G Radio prototypes are already achieving more than 25 Gbps mobile throughput. Ericsson and its customers will be key players in defining the next generation of mobile network technology all the way to commercialization.

Ericsson at Mobile World Congress 2016
During Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Ericsson will showcase its unique industry insights, the latest innovation and inspirational discussions that enable powerful new business opportunities. We are in the midst of the societal transformation we call the Networked Society: a society in which mobility, broadband and cloud empower every person and every industry to reach their full potential. Opportunity is everywhere, and companies are transforming according to the role they have chosen to play in the value chains and ecosystems of the Networked Society.

Join us in our Hall (Hall 2, Stand 2N60) to learn about 5G, the Internet of Things and cloud, and to discuss the impact digital transformation can have on people, business and society.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

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Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.

Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.

With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the world's mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions - and our customers - stay in front.

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on Nasdaq OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

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