Sun, Nokia, Ericsson Form Telecom Equipment Alliance

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The three vendors will assist telecommunications firms and service providers by developing a common telecom infrastructure platform. By W. David Gardner InformationWeek Nov 30, 2006 02:52 PM
Sun Microsystems reported Thursday that it's teaming up with Ericsson and Nokia to create an organization aimed at uniting network equipment providers as they work to assist telecommunications firms and service providers.
Sun said the three companies jointly recognize the need for a common platform infrastructure.
The telecom and mobile phone industry has fractured in recent months as Nokia and Qualcomm battled in several jurisdictions over a range of issues, mostly wireless technology. Qualcomm wasn't listed as a member of the new organization, called the Telecommunications Platform Initiative.
One telecom executive, Javier Gutierrez of Telefonica Moviles Espana, hailed the establishment of the TPI. "We are faced with huge integration issues today when we purchase solutions from multiple network equipment providers," he said in a statement. Gutierrez, who is a senior manager at the Spanish firm, said the new organization can help his company simplify platform management.
Sun said TPI members are developing an architecture that will offer a wide range of applications and be easily adaptable.