Ericsson and Panasonic Join Forces to Deliver Smart, Sustainable Energy Solutions for Mobile Operators, Tower Companies, Others

- Ericsson and Panasonic will join forces to bring Panasonic lithium ion batteries to Ericsson's energy-as-a-service solution, reducing total cost of ownership by 20%

- Innovative and unique energy-as-a-service solution uses the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data analytics to make networks smarter

- Alliance to address mobile operators and tower companies, as well as utilities, transport and public safety

News provided by

Panasonic Corporation of North America

Feb 24, 2017, 05:04 ET

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and Panasonic Corporation of North America are collaborating to bring a new energy-as-a-service (EaaS) solution to market. This is the first time that the two companies will work together on smart sustainable energy solutions. The offering will provide an efficient way to intelligently measure, monitor and maintain energy infrastructure for mobile operators and tower companies by using big data-based analytics, energy management software, and lithium ion battery energy storage.

The two companies' solution minimizes the energy costs and other resources required to manage sites. For mobile operators, enterprises and governments, this solution will deliver a reduced total cost of ownership for energy equipment by up to 20 percent, primarily driven by longer battery life and fewer maintenance site visits resulting in the highest level of network availability.

With this as-a-service model up-front investment is not needed and this is an example of how the circular economy opens up for reduced environmental impact through longer product life, replacement of lead in batteries and reduced need for transport.

"Effective energy is a major focus area for all of our customers and we are always looking for opportunities to reduce carbon emissions. Energy-as-a-service is a new business model that is designed to make energy operations more efficient, smarter and more sustainable. We believe our strategic relationship with Panasonic will deliver significant benefits to our customers in terms of OPEX savings and contribute to an overall improved experience for their customers, resulting from a higher level of network reliability," says Bradley Mead, Head of Managed Services and Network Design Optimization at Ericsson.

With its deep expertise in network management and connectivity, Ericsson will be responsible for products and services driven via its Integrated Operations Center, focusing initially on its managed services customers. Panasonic with its deep expertise in energy assets and management will be responsible for the energy architecture and solution orchestration backing up the service.

"We are excited to closely collaborate with Ericsson on smart, sustainable energy-as-a-service solutions, leveraging the companies' respective strengths in telecommunications and energy solutions," says Jim Doyle, president of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America. "This solution reduces total cost of ownership and energy consumption while improving system resilience and connectivity uptime, benefitting mobile operators and tower companies as well as their customers. In addition, telecommunications forms the backbone that supports not just IoT generally but also responsive infrastructure for smart cities specifically, including the smart city solutions being deployed by Panasonic CityNOW."

The companies will collaborate to further customize and develop the solution so it can better meet the needs of customers in the utility, transport and public safety sectors, and support the migration toward smarter and more sustainable cities.

Ericsson at Mobile World Congress 2017
Anything can happen on the digital frontier, a promising but undiscovered future. From February 27 to March 2 in Barcelona, Spain, Ericsson is demonstrating a collaborative approach and innovative solutions to succeed in this arena.

With our customers and partners, we work across industries, physical boundaries and perceived limitations. Join us in Hall 2 or online during MWC 2017 and engage in conversations and demonstrations about our favorite things: 5G; platforms and services for IT, Cloud, Networks and TV & Media; connected solutions for industries; the Internet of Things; and partnering for success.

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About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic was featured in Fortune Magazine's 2016 ranking of 50 companies that are changing the world and doing well by doing good. Specifically cited were its smart and sustainable technologies, including its contributions to smart cities and the electric vehicle revolution. Learn more about Panasonic at us.panasonic.com/news.

Ericsson is a world leader in communications technology and services with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Our organization consists of more than 111,000 experts who provide customers in 180 countries with innovative solutions and services. Together we are building a more connected future where anyone and any industry is empowered to reach their full potential. Net sales in 2016 were SEK 222.6 billion (USD 24.5 billion). The Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on NASDAQ in New York. Read more on www.ericsson.com.

SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America