Motorola Inc. has partnered with Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson on advanced technology for public safety agencies, the two companies said Tuesday.
The agreement centers on Long-Term Evolution, a fourth-generation network technology that is designed for mobile broadband, or delivering vast amounts of data to and from users on the go. Motorola said Ericsson is a leader in LTE mobile broadband, having signed commercial contracts with six operators, including three in the U.S. The European company is also expected to be the largest holder of LTE patents in the industry.
The faster and more robust pipelines of LTE network technology enable “real-time information sharing between an integrated multimedia command center” and devices such as advanced police radios, computers built into vehicles and other specialized gadgets. Motorola’s end of the agreement will focus on these devices, as well as applications and services. Ericsson will provide large-scale infrastructure and access to the network.
Motorola used to be in the network gear business, but is selling that unit to Nokia Siemens for $1.2 billion. Motorola is also planning to split into two publicly traded companies in the first quarter of next year. The unit that makes communications gear for public safety agencies and enterprise clients will be renamed Motorola Solutions, while mobile phones and cable TV set-top boxes will be grouped under a spun-off company called Motorola Mobility.
