Ericsson signs OSSii license agreements with Cisco and NETSCOUT's Tektronix Communications

August 31, 2015

· Ericsson to license its OSS interfaces for integration with Cisco^® self-optimizing network (SON) products and NETSCOUT's Tektronix Communications products.

· Three-year agreements in alignment with the OSS Interoperability Initiative (OSSii) initiated by Ericsson and industry partners in May 2013

· Deals underline Ericsson's commitment to supporting interoperability which will stimulate innovation in network management, as well as reducing costs for our customers

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has signed license agreements with both Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Tektronix Communications (a wholly owned subsidiary of NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC), under which Ericsson will license its OSS interfaces for integration with Cisco self-optimizing network (SON) products and Tektronix Communications TrueCall^® geoanalytics platform.

The agreement is in alignment with the principles outlined in the OSS Interoperability Initiative (OSSii). Initiated by Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei in May 2013, this industry-wide initiative promotes OSS interoperability between different vendor equipment through the exposure of OSS interfaces and network data.

OSSii enables pre-verification of products for new network releases, and provides lifecycle management for interfaces. In addition, it allows both OSSii partners and third parties to support network releases without lengthy and complex integration projects.

Fredrik Gessler, Head of Network Analytics and Management, Ericsson, says: "With the rapid evolution of mobile networks, interoperability is becoming a major expense for operators. OSSii addresses this issue by delivering integration efficiencies, faster time-to-market and lower integration costs, and Ericsson's agreements with Cisco Systems and Tektronix Communications underline Ericsson's commitment to supporting interoperability and to providing flexibility for our customers."

Uzi Breier, Director of Business Development, Cisco, says: "Cisco's collaboration with Ericsson on the OSSii initiative helps both companies deliver superior service. Fine tuning Cisco's SON to the most updated Ericsson interfaces and specifications will help maximize the potential of our customers' Radio Access Networks."

Richard Kenedi, president of service provider business at NETSCOUT, says: "By joining the OSSii program with Ericsson, Tektronix Communications will continue to expand our lead in the RAN geoanalytics space and enhance the multi-vendor capabilities of our platform."

Both agreements run from August 2015 and will initially cover three years.