* Former Ericsson President and CEO recognized for outstanding achievement
  * Contributed to industry change and four billion mobile connections
  * Engaged in sustainability


Today at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Carl-Henric Svanberg,
former President and CEO of Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC), was given the GSMA's highest
annual honor, the Chairman's Award for 2010, which recognizes outstanding
contribution to the growth and development of mobile communications around the
world.

In his presentation to Svanberg, Alexander Izosimov, Chairman of GSMA, said: "In
his seven years in the telecommunications industry - a relatively short time in
this fast moving business - Carl-Henric Svanberg made some profound changes to
almost reinvent one of the world's oldest telecoms manufacturing companies,
changes that have resonated across the industry.

"When the world was fixated by 3G and 4G evolution he saw GSM as the technology
that could bring connectivity to the unconnected. GSM turned out to be key in
achieving 4 billion connections and through projects like the Millennium
Villages in Africa, which is bringing social and economic development to some of
the poorest communities on the continent. His transformative approach put
sustainability on the agenda of the telecommunications industry and built up the
role of telecommunications in combating climate change," Izosimov said.

Svanberg accepted the award on behalf of the company and its employees, and
said: "Together we have leveraged on the broadly deployed GSM technology to
provide mobile connectivity and its benefits to a large portion of the world,
even the poorest of the poor. We have made major strides to reduce our own
environmental impacts, but perhaps more importantly have begun to explore how
broadband can transform adjacent industries to create a low-carbon
information-based economy, while serving the world with new communications
services."

Ericsson pioneered GSM in the 1980s and has continued to invest in radio
technologies to make advanced and affordable communications services available
for everyone. Today there are some 4.6 billion mobile subscriptions in the
world, of which the majority are GSM. There is also significant growth in mobile
broadband which is expected to reach 3.4 billion subscriptions in 2015.
Ericsson's HSPA offering attains speeds of up to 84 Mbps, while the next
generation of mobile broadband, LTE, has begun its rollout around the world.

During the years with Carl-Henric Svanberg in the driving seat, Ericsson made a
number of strategic acquisitions in the area of fixed and optical fiber as well
as IP and TV. This makes Ericsson the only player in the industry with a
complete portfolio for mobile and fixed converging IP based networks. Products
are today software based and Ericsson has become the world's fifth largest
software company. At the same time, services have grown quickly, and now
represent 40% of total sales.

During 2003-2008 Ericsson's compounded annual growth was 12%. Over these years,
the company generated a total profit of SEK 103 b. and a cash flow of SEK 101 b.
Total dividends over the past five years amount to SEK 27 b.

Svanberg joined Ericsson on April 8, 2003 at a troublesome time when the company
struggled with losses and restructuring. One of his first actions was to
introduce his leadership philosophies and focus on operational excellence.
Culture and ways of working changed in the company and is a major reason for
today's good profitability.

Carl-Henric Svanberg was Ericsson's President and CEO from April 8, 2003 until
December 31, 2009.

Notes to editors:

Our multimedia content is available at the broadcast room:
www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room <http://www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room>

About the GSMA,www.gsmworld.com/about-us <http://www.gsmworld.com/about-us>



Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom
operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and
provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the
leading position in managed services. The company's portfolio comprises mobile
and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and
multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony
Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich
personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the "prime driver in an
all-communicating world" through innovation, technology, and sustainable
business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 80,000 employees
generated revenue of SEK 206.5 billion (USD 27.1 billion) in 2009. Founded in
1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX
NASDAQ, Stockholm and NASDAQ New York.



www.ericsson.com <http://www.ericsson.com/>
www.twitter.com/ericssonpress <http://www.twitter.com/ericssonpress>
www.facebook.com/technologyforgood <http://www.facebook.com/technologyforgood>
www.youtube.com/ericssonpress <http://www.youtube.com/ericssonpress>


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Ericsson Corporate Public & Media Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com 

Ericsson Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 00 00
E-mail: investor.relations@ericsson.com 


UPCOMING EVENTS

  * Ericsson's Capital Markets Day, Stockholm, Sweden, May 5-6
  * Ericsson Business Innovation Forum, Shanghai, China, May 17-18



For more information please contact the Ericsson Media Relations Team.
<http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/contacts/press.shtml>



[HUG#1384834]





    Photo Carl-Henric Svanberg: http://hugin.info/1061/R/1384834/343546.jpg
    Press release in PDF: http://hugin.info/1061/R/1384834/343539.pdf