STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN--(Marketwire - May 8, 2012) -

* LTE networks to deliver mobile broadband to residents and businesses in rural and underserved communities across the United States and its territories

* Ericsson is the technology and services leader in working with regional carriers to bring benefits of LTE to consumers

* Enabling communication for all is part of Ericsson's Networked Society vision

Ericsson (NASDAQ: [ ERIC ]) is working with operators to enhance the wireless experience for all Americans while enabling greater operational savings with the delivery of LTE mobile broadband networks to eight regional wireless operators in the United States and Guam.

Operators who have recently selected Ericsson to build their LTE networks include:

- Appalachian Wireless (Kentucky) - LTE network to cover the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Kentucky

- Agri-Valley Communications (Michigan) - LTE network will cover more than 70 percent of Michigan across the Lower and Upper Peninsula of the state

- Bluegrass Cellular (Kentucky) - Will deploy Ericsson's LTE network to provide access to 4G data services to customers throughout the central portion of the state.

- Enhanced Telecommunications Corp. (Indiana) - Will offer LTE to customers for fixed broadband access, and deploy the Ericsson Mobile Broadband Router as a home gateway

- Globecomm (New York) - Will provide Ericsson LTE Core hosting services in addition to the Ericsson 2G and 3G hosted services already connecting a number of rural and regional operators

- IT&E (Guam) - LTE network offering both fixed and mobile services will cover the island of Guam, a territory of the United States, located in the western Pacific Ocean

- South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority (Georgia) - Regional IT company in southeast Georgia building LTE to reach consumers and businesses with wireless broadband

- VTel Wireless (Vermont) - Will connect rural and underserved communities across the state, as well as nearly 1,000 smart meter collection points

Steven K. Berry, President & CEO of RCA - The Competitive Carriers Association, said, "Ericsson has been a great partner for rural and regional carriers, and I am delighted that Ericsson has again assisted eight carriers in deploying LTE networks. Our members need solutions to find pathways to 4G/LTE services, and thanks to the innovative work from companies like Ericsson, competitive carriers can achieve this important goal."

LTE, the next generation of mobile communication technology, enables the fast transfer of huge amounts of data in an efficient and cost-effective way, optimizing the use of the frequency spectrum. With increased speed and decreased latency, consumers can enjoy a wide range of applications -- such as video conferencing and access to the web and mobile apps -- effortlessly, while on the move. LTE will meet the demands of new and enhanced mobile internet applications of the future.

"We are moving from the information society to the Networked Society, where the primary concern is not just having access to information, but what benefit you get out of it," said Craig Stein, executive vice president, US Regions, Broadband & Media for Ericsson. "Working for many years with rural coverage in the U.S., Ericsson has built a deep understanding of the market. In combination with our early start in LTE technology, this makes us a natural choice to help bring broadband to people in these areas."

Broadband availability and speed drive economic growth, an issue of particular importance to rural areas. In 2010, Ericsson and Arthur D. Little concluded that for every 10 percentage point increase in broadband penetration GDP increases by 1 percent. A follow up study in 2011 concerning the impact of broadband speed upgrades on GDP, showed that doubling the broadband speed for an OECD economy increases GDP growth by 0.3 percent.

The global LTE population coverage is 325 million, of which 215 million are covered by Ericsson networks.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Media kit on LTE: [ www.ericsson.com/thecompany/press/mediakits/lte ]

Our multimedia content is available at the broadcast room: [ www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room ]

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 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 had revenues of SEK 226,9 billion (USD 35,0 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ, New York stock exchanges.

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Source: Ericsson North America via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1609609]