STOCKHOLM, February 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) today announced the launch of an innovative social networking portfolio for mobile network operators, the Pixl8r initiative and the Social Media Portal. The technologies together offer simplified sharing of user-generated content between friends across diverse networks.

The Pixl8r initiative is an open-standard solution that allows photo sharing sites to interact in real time. With Pixl8r, mobile subscribers can easily share social media across different operator portals and receive SMS notification of friends' activities regardless of network. Pixl8r creates a federation of community portals that can connect the world's about four billion mobile users.

With Ericsson's Social Media Portal, operators can deliver a Pixl8r-compatible social networking service quickly and cost effectively. Consumers can easily connect to the social web using any mobile phone. The solution does not require client downloads, making it easy to use, and encourages posting and accessing of real-time, user-generated content to diverse internet communities. Content is automatically backed up on a community portal that offers personal storage, synchronization, unified messaging and services for sharing content such as photos and videos with friends and family.

Laurence McDonald, Vice President, Consumer and Business Applications, Ericsson, says: The social web is a dynamic, continuously evolving ecosystem that offers exciting new revenue opportunities for operators. Ericsson can deliver the tools to allow community services to be delivered under operator brands that work together with the leading web communities.

The Social Media Portal gives operators the required tools to become part of the social web. The white-labeled portal solution offers significant opportunities for advertising revenues from both mobile and fixed portals, reduces churn and improves brand positioning. It increases data traffic such as MMS, video calling and web portal traffic.

Notes to editors:

Ericsson's standard multimedia content is available at the broadcast room:

http://www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room

Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 250 million subscribers. The company's portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of 'communication for all' through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of USD 27 billion (SEK 209 billion) in 2008. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and NASDAQ

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Ericsson Corporate Public Media Relations Phone: +46-10-719-69-92 E-mail: press.relations@ericsson.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Ericsson Corporate Public Media Relations, Phone: +46-10-719-69-92, E-mail: press.relations@ericsson.com