Ericsson, HP partner on Wi-Fi, small cells

Sep 21, 2015

Ericsson and Hewlett-Packard announced a partnership focused on enterprise solutions, particularly Wi-Fi and indoor small cell deployments.

The two companies – also in the mix is HP’s fully owned Aruba Networks – signed a bilateral resale agreement that will allow Ericsson to sell Aruba Networks’ enterprise Wi-Fi and networking products alongside Ericsson’s portfolio; similarly, HP will be able to resell Ericsson’s indoor small cell solutions. Ericsson plans to incorporate Aruba Networks’ 802.11ac enterprise tech into its RBS 6402 indoor picocell.

The idea is to provide both companies access to new sales channels through joint market initiatives. Specifically, the companies are taking on the growing overlap between Wi-Fi and LTE for enterprise applications.

HP Enterprise Group EVP and GM Antonio Neri said the resell agreement will allow HP “to deliver more solutions to meet our customers’ growing needs for productivity in the workplace. Ericsson’s global scale and market leadership in building mobile infrastructures with operators worldwide is an ideal complement to Aruba Networks’ enterprisewide networking solutions. Together we expect to transform the way mobile networks are deployed in order to stay ahead of the pace of mobile requirements.”

HP’s enterprise division has been the subject of dramatic job cuts in the past few years with the most recent move to cut some 30,000 positions being announced this week. HP is eyeing a November restructuring that will see HP Inc. selling personal computers and printers and HP Enterprise selling servers, storage, software and other networking gear.

Arun Bansal, Ericsson SVP and head of business unit radio, said the new deal will be beneficial to both companies.

“HP and Ericsson already have a successful track record working together. With the addition of Aruba Networks, HP has leap-frogged competitors, combining end-to-end enterprise solutions and global reach with innovation and market share. It’s a powerful combination and a perfect complement to Ericsson’s leadership in mobile infrastructure as we evolve to address new operator and enterprise opportunities.”

Source: RCR Wireless News