Midwest Wireless, Rural Cellular select hosted MMS from Ericsson

Mobile Internet, The, June, 2004

Ericsson has signed managed services contracts with two U.S. wireless operators--Midwest Wireless and Rural Cellular Corporation--to integrate, host, and manage multimedia messaging services (MMS) throughout their respective networks. Ericsson's hosting offering is helping the carriers deliver MMS to their customers more quickly and cost-efficiently than if they were to own and operate the service themselves.

In addition to supplying the platform and integrating the application with the carriers' networks, Ericsson will operate and manage the MMS service offerings around the clock. Furthermore, through Ericsson's Mobility World initiative, each carrier will benefit from relationships with thousands of application and content developers whose services are compatible with Ericsson networks around the world.

"It's especially important in today's telecommunications market for vendors and service providers to work together as strategic partners," said Ericsson Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Angel Ruiz. "For both Midwest Wireless and Rural Cellular Corporation, this approach was the most practical way to bring MMS to market quickly while controlling capital and operational costs."

"Our overall goal was to deliver a consistently reliable MMS solution to our customers as quickly and cost-effectively possible," said Dennis Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Midwest Wireless. "Of all the alternatives we considered for delivering MMS to our customers, we felt the Ericsson solution would be the most practical both in terms of reliability and service flexibility."

Ericsson is shaping the future of mobile and broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.

For more information, visit http://www.ericsson.com/press