On Monday, Swedish mobile equipment maker Ericsson announced that U.S. telecom giant AT&T has joined its Startup 5G program, a 5G innovation collaboration driven by Ericsson’s in-house ConsumerLab that assists communications service providers (CSPs) with commercialization and monetization of 5G, based on its extensive library of proprietary research on consumer behavior and trends. AT&T is the first U.S. service provider to join the global program.
Ericsson Startup 5G aims to help CSPs by introducing them to the right consumer innovation companies, and supporting the development of a go-to-market strategy to address an estimated global $3.7 trillion business opportunity within the 5G consumer market by 2030. CSPs that collaborate with Startup 5G are supported by Ericsson’s ConsumerLab research and analytical data, as well as exclusive access to its broader network of more than 40 5G startups worldwide.
Ericsson’s Startup 5G Program supports exploration and identification of innovative capabilities across multiple consumer segments and technologies, in industry verticals such as media, entertainment, gaming, sports, and education.
“AT&T customers are already enjoying the benefits of our 5G network, with fast speeds, low latency and superior reliability. Now, the network we’ve built is ready to take on more social and immersive experiences that will transform how we live, work and play,” said Jay Cary, AT&T’s Vice President in charge of 5G Product and Innovation.
“With access to more than 40 global startups, the program offers AT&T a unique opportunity to not only leverage actionable consumer insights from our Ericsson Research Analytical Platform but also connect with innovation partners to emerge, on top of their existing initiatives and programs,” said Jasmeet Sethi, Head of Ericsson Research’s ConsumerLab.
This project is the latest in a long history of collaboration between AT&T and Ericsson, including the development of public and private 5G networks.
“We are excited to have AT&T, with its long legacy of innovation in the mobile space, joining our Startup 5G program to put exciting new 5G applications and services in consumers’ hands,” said Rob Johnson, Vice President and Head of the AT&T Global Customer Unit at Ericsson. “Our global industry knowledge, ecosystem of partners and service provider collaborations will help drive innovative 5G products that will open new possibilities for consumers. We are glad to be embarking on this journey together with AT&T.”
In 2021, Ericsson released the largest global 5G consumer study to date – Five Ways to a Better 5G – capturing opinions equivalent to 1.3 billion consumers and 220 million 5G users. The report revealed that 5G is already beginning to trigger new smartphone behaviors, with 5G users spending more time on cloud gaming and augmented reality (AR) apps compared to 4G users.
