September 30, 2015, 13:00 (CEST)

• Enables faster delivery of high-speed broadband services to consumers
• Ditch Witch and Vermeer together are the world leaders for underground equipment
• Brings new deployment capacity, construction techniques and tools to fiber projects

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) today announced it has joined forces with world-leading underground equipment companies, Ditch Witch and Vermeer. The companies will work together to leverage recent breakthroughs in technology to bring new deployment capacity, construction techniques and tools to fiber deployments, all of which are designed specifically to support the needs of today's telecom operators.

Ditch Witch and Vermeer will provide Ericsson with equipment, expert training, and field support to create new qualified crews with the latest tools and technology.

The consumer need for high-speed broadband connectivity to operate multiple communication devices is at an all-time high. According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, the average number of connected devices per household in the U.S. in 2014 was 5.2.

The demand for fiber-optic transmission is rapidly growing to accommodate increasing bandwidth requirements driven by new applications, specifically video services. Fiber is a key component for the next generation all-optical IP network. By teaming with the world's top two equipment manufacturers and coupling them with Ericsson's world-class service offering, Ericsson can deliver unmatched scalability and startup times for its customer fiber projects.

Angel Ruiz, Head of Ericsson North America, said: "By working with industry-leaders Ditch Witch and Vermeer, Ericsson can deliver both the network design expertise and the quality fiber deployment services at the scale needed to meet the need of our North American customers. This makes Ericsson extremely unique in the industry."

Dennis Wierzbicki, President of the Ditch Witch organization, said: "Ditch Witch and its strong dealer network are looking forward to partnering with Ericsson by providing innovative equipment, service and support. This builds upon our organization's commitment to customers that We're in This Together ."

Jason Andringa, Vermeer Corporation COO and third-generation leader of the family owned company, said: "Vermeer shares many values with Ericsson. Our team looks forward to working with them to bring the next-generation of connectivity online."

Building fiber-optic networks is capital intensive and requires careful planning and project execution. Ericsson's Fiber Network Deployment solution offers a full range of professional services, securing the lowest total cost of ownership for the network, while at the same time enabling new revenue-generating media services.

Ericsson's Fiber Network Deployment solutions consist of comprehensive end-to-end solutions that span from planning and design of the network through the full implementation phase.