Ericsson, Sony and Sony Ericsson to demonstrate new multimedia experience for the connected home

During Broadband World Forum in Berlin October 8-11, Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC), Sony (NYSE:SNE) and Sony Ericsson will jointly demonstrate the possibilities of new multimedia experiences between mobile handsets and home network devices. The combination of technologies based on IMS and DLNA standards will enable consumers to access innovative multimedia services anywhere, anytime and on any device.

Continuing the successful technology collaboration between Ericsson and Sony, as demonstrated at Globalcomm in June 2006, the collaborative partnership now includes Sony Ericsson, bringing together three important areas – consumer electronics, telecom networks and mobile phone devices – to address a complete ecosystem.

Ericsson, Sony and Sony Ericsson are developing, prototyping and exploiting an interworking solution that will connect Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) based consumer devices to IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) based services via gateways based on the Home IMS Gateway concept.

This solution allows consumers to enjoy new multimedia experiences between mobile and home networked devices, empowering the access, control and sharing of content stored at home using any device anywhere, as well as communication services such as presence and messaging.

Jan Wäreby, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Multimedia, Ericsson, says: “Ericsson is once again playing the role of innovator, driving the standardization of IMS at the same time that electronic companies develops their DLNA standardization. Ericsson makes sure that harmonization and collaboration takes place so that operators can maximize the huge potential of IMS, and consumers enjoy a richer multimedia experience. Our partnership with Sony and Sony Ericsson is evolving and will provide further benefits to the multimedia industry.”

Keiichiro Shimada, Senior Vice President and President of Technology Development Group, Corporate R&D, Sony Corporation, says: “We are very pleased to have this opportunity to demonstrate our technological collaboration with Ericsson and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. This demonstration shows how the combination of the two crucial standards can enrich end-users’ communication and entertainment.”

Rikko Sakaguchi, Senior Vice President, Head of Portfolio & Propositions, Sony Ericsson, says: “We are truly excited to be a part of such a unique collaboration, which symbolizes a new beginning for mobile communication beyond mobile phone devices. The interworking of IMS and DLNA introduces users to new ways of communication with the possibility of enjoying and sharing rich multimedia content anytime, anywhere, on any device and with anyone. At Sony Ericsson we strive to energize the experience of communication.”

At the Broadband World Forum, the three companies will demonstrate IPTV, remote media access and place-shift TV services. In the demonstration a Sony prototype TV connects into Ericsson’s IMS-based service backend and IPTV Core via a home server (SIP-to-DLNA interworking) and the Home IMS Gateway. Mobile media access and remote place-shift control will be demonstrated on a Sony Ericsson P1 mobile phone.