Ericsson added a security element to its managed services offering, forging a deal with Intel Security it said will enable operators to mitigate future security risks for consumers and enterprises.
The Sweden-based infrastructure company plans to combine Intel Security's solutions with its current portfolio of managed services, a move Ericsson said will enable telecom operators to bundle security cover with their existing services. The duo will initially focus on supplying security for email and the Internet, along with intrusion prevention systems.
Jean-Claude Geha, VP and head of managed services at Ericsson, said Intel Security "has an exceptional, end-to-end consumer and enterprise security product portfolio," which when combined with Ericsson's portfolio of managed services will enable the pair to "provide exceptional managed security solutions to telecom operators."
The equipment manufacturer noted that growth in the number of connectivity options available to consumers and businesses brings with it a related increase in risk exposure. The Intel Security collaboration aims to make it easier for operators to protect their customers' intellectual property, data, devices and identities, Ericsson stated.
Chris Young, SVP and GM of Intel Security, said the combination with Ericsson will help to protect telecoms networks that are a "critical component of the economic and social infrastructures that we rely upon."
Ericsson currently provides managed services for networks serving 1 billion mobile subscribers globally. The company noted it is increasingly pushing its telecoms managed services into new sectors, with the broader IT industry a key focus area.
The infrastructure company was last week linked to a potential acquisition of Ciena or Juniper Networks to bolster its North American business ahead of a planned merger of Nokia with Alcatel-Lucent.
Such a combination would have a strong presence in North America--a territory where sales dropped year-on-year in 2014, contributing to a SEK1 billion (€107 million/$115 million) decline in net income compared to 2013.
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- see this Ericsson announcement
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