The FINANCIAL — Ericsson has been selected by telecommunications operator 3 Italia to transform its mobile IP backbone network. As part of this project Ericsson and Cisco will deploy and integrate a variety of technologies and services.
As a result, 3 Italia’s network capacity will be expanded and data throughput will be significantly increased. This positions the operator to meet increasing data traffic demands from subscribers and to deliver high-quality customer experiences, according to Ericsson.
Ericsson and Cisco will deliver their state-of-the-art-router-technology with a highly scalable, consolidated platform that enables personalized services for both fixed and mobile users. The proposed architecture for 3 Italia also includes Cisco’s Firepower 9300, a security appliance that protects the mobile packet core to improve both performance and service stability.
Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Region Mediterranean, Ericsson, says: “We are very pleased to build on our long-standing relationship with 3 Italia, whereby Ericsson has managed the operator’s network and IT environments for more than a decade. By leveraging complementary capabilities from Ericsson and Cisco, we are paving the way for 5G, meeting increasing consumer and data traffic demands.”
Scot Gardner, Vice President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Cisco Systems says: “We are honored to be a part of 3 Italia’s network transformation and, in our collaboration with Ericsson, assist them in not only keeping up with their customers’ increasing demand for their services but also surpass their expectations for quality as well.”
3 Italia, a CK Hutchison company, offers a wide range of mobile communication services and fast Internet connection to over 10 million customers in Italy. 3 Italia operates a HSPA/HSPA+ network that covers over 97 percent of Italian population. In 2012 the operator also launched LTE services.
Ericsson and Cisco – two industry leaders in the development and delivery of networking, mobility, and cloud – formed a global business and technology partnership in November 2015 to create the networks of the future. The partnership offers customers the best of both companies: routing, data center, networking, cloud, mobility, management and control, and global services capabilities. The next-generation strategic partnership will drive growth, accelerate innovation, and speed digital transformation demanded by customers across industries. Please note that the Cisco-Ericsson partnership is effective worldwide, except for Brazil. A separate partnership has been created specifically for Brazil, but that project is still subject to regulatory approval.