LG U+ launches Voice over LTE services with Ericsson

LG U+ users in South Korea to benefit from voice over LTE services
With voice over LTE technology, the operator can also offer enhanced telecom grade services such as HD voice, video calling, chat and presence
LG U+ users in South Korea get access to voice over LTE (VoLTE) services. This is thanks to a decision made by South Korean operator LG U+, in partnership with Ericsson's (NASDAQ: ERIC) majority-owned subsidiary LG-Ericsson, to make subscribers in South Korea benefit from commercial VoLTE (GSMA IR.92) services.

The demand for LTE data services in South Korea has increased rapidly ever since LG U+ became the first operator in the country to launch LTE commercially on July 1, 2011. As of August 2012, LG U+ has confirmed that LGU+ is the second largest LTE provider in South Korea, serving 3.1 million of LTE subscribers.

Joo sik Choi, Senior Vice President of Service Creation, LG U+ says: "Improving the user experience for our subscribers is always our top priority. Ericsson's global leadership in LTE technology and experience in building an end-to-end LTE network infrastructure helped ensure the success of the nationwide launch of this service."

Johan Wibergh, Head of Business Unit Networks at Ericsson, says: "With the new VoLTE technology, LG U+ will be able to offer its subscribers better voice quality and an improved user experience. The new VoLTE services will sharpen LG U+'s competitive edge considerably and will provide the foundation for further enriching their communication services offering."

Originally, 4G/LTE technology was developed for data communication only. The 4G/LTE technology has now evolved to embrace Rich Communication Services as well, making it a full telecommunication grade technology. VoLTE is a technology that allows voice calls to be made over an LTE network at the same time as users can access high-speed mobile broadband services and rich communication services. Up until now, in order to handle voice calls, CDMA-LTE devices required simultaneous radio operation on both CDMA and LTE, which is inherently inefficient and does not allow for a fully integrated rich communications offering.

Ericsson has supplied an end-to-end VoLTE network to LG U+, including LTE-RAN, Evolved Packet Core, and IMS Telephony Application Server.

NOTES TO EDITORS

LTE Media Kit: www.ericsson.com/thecompany/press/mediakits/lte

What is Voice over LTE (VoLTE)? www.ericsson.com/res/thecompany/docs/corpinfo/volte_backgrounder.pdf

Download high-resolution photos and broadcast-quality video at www.ericsson.com/press

Ericsson is the world's leading provider of communications technology and services. We are enabling the Networked Society with efficient real-time solutions that allow us all to study, work and live our lives more freely, in sustainable societies around the world.

Our offering comprises services, software and infrastructure within Information and Communications Technology for telecom operators and other industries. Today more than 40 percent of the world's mobile traffic goes through Ericsson networks and we support customers' networks servicing more than 2.5 billion subscribers.

We operate in 180 countries and employ more than 100,000 people. Founded in 1876, Ericsson is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2011 the company's net sales were SEK 226.9 billion (USD 35.0 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ, New York stock exchanges.

www.ericsson.com
www.twitter.com/ericssonpress
www.facebook.com/technologyforgood
www.youtube.com/ericssonpress