Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecom

Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecom, commonly abbreviated EHPT, was a telecommunications software and services joint venture established in 1993 by Ericsson and Hewlett-Packard. The venture was created to address the rapid technological transition taking place in telecommunications during the early 1990s, particularly the shift from mechanically based switching systems toward electronic and increasingly software-driven network infrastructure. The ownership structure reflected the contributions of its two parents: Ericsson held a 60 percent interest and Hewlett-Packard held 40 percent. EHPT operated as an independent provider to telecommunications operators, focusing on the application software and operational systems required to run increasingly complex networks and subscriber businesses. Its work covered operations support systems and business support systems, including functions associated with network operations, customer administration, billing, and related telecom-management processes. EHPT's principal significance was its attempt to combine Ericsson's telecommunications engineering and operator relationships with Hewlett-Packard's computing, enterprise-systems, and services capabilities. The alliance was strategically attractive because operators were moving from legacy infrastructure to integrated digital platforms, but it was also organizationally and commercially complex. Ericsson and Hewlett-Packard had overlapping and sometimes competing solutions, making the joint venture a difficult structure to maintain over the long term. According to the cited reference material, EHPT installed approximately 450 operations support and business support systems in 65 countries. These deployments made the venture an international supplier to telecom operators rather than a narrowly domestic business. Its offering was centered on software and professional services rather than consumer products, with implementation, integration, and ongoing support forming an important part of its value proposition. The joint venture ended after Ericsson acquired Hewlett-Packard's remaining 40 percent interest. EHPT's activities were consolidated into Ericsson's operations effective September 4, 2001, marking the end of the EHPT corporate structure. Hewlett-Packard nevertheless continued to work with Ericsson as a commercial and implementation partner, including through the resale, deployment, and support of billing and business-support systems within various HP organizations. The relationship between the two companies continued after EHPT's dissolution. In 2003, Ericsson outsourced parts of its information-technology environment to Hewlett-Packard. The arrangement included managed services, help-desk support, data-center operations, and use of HP's Utility Data Center. The contract was extended in 2008. The companies also pursued later joint telecommunications outsourcing opportunities, including large arrangements involving operators such as H3G and Vodafone. These later collaborations were distinct from EHPT itself, but they demonstrate that the end of the joint venture did not end the broader Ericsson–Hewlett-Packard commercial relationship.

Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecom was formed in 1993 as a joint venture between Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson and American technology company Hewlett-Packard. Ericsson owned 60 percent and Hewlett-Packard owned 40 percent. The venture was created during a period when telecommunications operators were replacing mechanically based switching infrastructure with electronic systems and needed new software to manage networks, subscribers, service provisioning, and billing. EHPT was structured as an independent provider of application software and services for telecommunications operators. Its role was broader than supplying a single network component: it delivered operations support systems and business support systems, along with the implementation and support services needed to install those systems in operator environments. The company became an international supplier, with approximately 450 systems installed in 65 countries according to the cited reference material. The partnership brought together complementary but partly overlapping capabilities. Ericsson contributed telecommunications engineering knowledge, network technology, and relationships with operators, while Hewlett-Packard contributed computing platforms, enterprise technology, and service capabilities. At the same time, both parent companies had their own products and commercial interests. This made the consortium strategically useful but difficult to manage, because the partners were not always promoting identical solutions. The EHPT structure was ultimately discontinued when Ericsson acquired Hewlett-Packard's remaining 40 percent interest. The venture's activities were consolidated into Ericsson's operations effective September 4, 2001. This ended EHPT as a separate joint venture and corporate entity. Hewlett-Packard continued to cooperate with Ericsson after the transaction, particularly by reselling, implementing, and supporting billing and business-support systems through different HP organizations. The wider relationship developed further after EHPT's end. In 2003, Ericsson outsourced elements of its internal IT operations to Hewlett-Packard. The scope included managed services, help-desk support, data-center operations, and the HP Utility Data Center. The agreement was extended in 2008. Ericsson and Hewlett-Packard also pursued later joint telecommunications-outsourcing opportunities, including major deals associated with H3G and Vodafone. These subsequent arrangements should not be treated as EHPT products or corporate operations, but they form part of the alliance's commercial legacy. EHPT is therefore best understood as a historical business-to-business telecom-software venture rather than a consumer-facing brand. Its importance lay in helping operators manage the transition to software-intensive electronic telecommunications systems and in demonstrating both the opportunities and limitations of combining a network-equipment company with a large enterprise-computing and services provider.

• 2008

  Outsourcing contract extended

  [1]Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecomen.wikipedia.org

  The Ericsson–Hewlett-Packard IT outsourcing relationship was extended.

• 2003

  Ericsson IT outsourcing arrangement begins

  [1]Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecomen.wikipedia.org

  Ericsson outsourced selected IT functions to Hewlett-Packard, including managed services, help-desk support, and data-center operations.

• 2001

  Ericsson assumes full ownership

  [1]Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecomen.wikipedia.org

  Ericsson acquired Hewlett-Packard's remaining interest, ending EHPT's joint-venture ownership structure.

• 2001

  Activities consolidated into Ericsson

  [1]Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecomen.wikipedia.org

  EHPT's operations were consolidated into Ericsson effective September 4, 2001.

• 1993

  Joint venture established

  [1]Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecomen.wikipedia.org

  Ericsson and Hewlett-Packard established Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecom, with Ericsson holding 60 percent and Hewlett-Packard holding 40 percent.

An international business-to-business telecommunications technology provider combining Ericsson's network and operator expertise with Hewlett-Packard's enterprise computing and services capabilities. EHPT was positioned as an independent supplier of application software and support systems for telecom operators undergoing digitization.

• Telecommunications software

  Operations support systems

  EHPT supplied operations support systems used by telecommunications operators to administer and monitor network-related processes. These systems supported the transition from older mechanically based switching environments to electronic and software-managed infrastructure. The offering was delivered as part of broader application, integration, and support engagements rather than as a consumer product.

• Telecommunications software

  Business support systems

  The venture provided business support systems for operator-facing processes such as customer administration, service management, and commercial operations. These systems formed part of the back-office infrastructure required to run growing digital telecommunications businesses and were commonly implemented together with billing and related application services.

• Billing and customer-management software

  Telecom billing systems

  Billing systems were among the telecom application platforms associated with EHPT's business-support work. They helped operators manage charging and related commercial functions as networks and service offerings became more complex. After EHPT was dissolved, Hewlett-Packard continued to resell, implement, and support billing and business-support systems in cooperation with Ericsson.

• Professional services

  Telecommunications implementation and support services

  EHPT's business included the deployment, integration, and support of application software for telecommunications operators. These services were essential because operator support and billing platforms had to be connected with existing network and business environments. The company's international footprint included installations in 65 countries.

• 2001

  Acquire Hewlett-Packard's remaining stakeM&A

  Background

  The joint venture combined complementary capabilities but also involved two parent companies with competing or overlapping telecommunications solutions. The partnership was therefore difficult to maintain as a separate structure.

  Action taken

  Ericsson bought Hewlett-Packard's remaining 40 percent interest and consolidated EHPT's activities into Ericsson's operations.

  Aftermath

  EHPT ceased operating as a separate joint venture effective September 4, 2001. Hewlett-Packard remained a commercial partner for selected billing and business-support activities.

  Source

1. 1Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecomen.wikipedia.org