Ericsson Nikola Tesla, employing more than 1600 mainly highly educated specialists, is the leading provider of communication products and services in the operator segment. It is also the provider of innovative ICT solutions aimed for the healthcare system, traffic systems, state administration, utility services and multimedia communications. Thanks to the activities in the R&D Centre in Zagreb and Split, and expert centers for customer services, the company today is the leading exporter of knowledge in Croatia.  

During its history, Ericsson Nikola Tesla has recorded many turning points and decisive years, such as 1982, when a group of five engineers launched the research and development activities at the University of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Split. The given activities were executed within the former factory “Nikola Tesla“ from Zagreb.

Choosing the telecommunications, which is the most prominent industrial segment in the world, as its core business, the factory had already then, through a long-term license partnership with Ericsson, participated in the world technology trends. In 1995, Ericsson participated in the factory transformation and privatization process, and became the major individual shareholder with 49.07% of shares in the joint-stock company Ericsson Nikola Tesla. This speeded up the further business development and determined its focusing to new technologies, especially emphasizing research and development activities.  

Today, we are proud to underline that our R&D Center that operates both in Zagreb and in Split is among the leading Ericsson centers worldwide, and the important member of Ericsson innovative society. In the extremely competitive environment, our experts base their reputation on innovativeness, knowledge, experience, high quality, reliability and cost effectiveness. This all enables them both to retain of the current responsibilities and to be awarded new ones in order to meet the demanding, reputable world known customers at the global market.

Currently, more than 700 experts are engaged in Ericsson Nikola Tesla research and development segment. Out of that number 264 of them (96% highly educated, mainly masters in electrical engineering and computing) are employed with office in Split. In conditions of high unemployment rate in Croatia, it is important to point out that since 2005 we have employed more than 970 specialists, and 170 of them work here in Split. Regardless of the location, our employees have been provided with attractive and high-quality jobs, pleasant and motivating working environment. We have encouraged them to a lifelong education and competence development, thus enabling them to develop their careers, and last but not least, their wages have been regular and competitive ones. 

We are proud that our innovative and creative experts, both in Zagreb and Split, participate on equal footing with their colleagues from other Ericsson companies in creating new communications trends in the world, such as the 4G mobile and fixed ( LTE  and „all-IP“) networks. Thus, our experts strongly contribute in the achievement of Ericsson vision of networked society, where all that will benefit from networking will be networked. In fact, trends in technology show that by 2020 more than 50 billion devices will be networked. The need for information exchange among people and devices too, will be very strong. The basis for creation of such a networked society is the mobility, broadband Internet and i cloud computing. In such circumstances, ICT is the key enable in the development of the modern society, since it directly influences the total growth of the national economy, increase of competitiveness of other sectors, growth of export potentials and sustainable development of the society. In that sense, according to estimations a thousand of new broadband access users crates 80 new jobs 80, and 10 % of growth in broadband access penetrations provides the national economy with additional 1% of BDP growth. When the broadband access speed will double, BDP will additionally grow by 0.3%.

On the occasion of 30th anniversary of such a successful performance of Ericsson Nikola Tesla in Split, a press conference was organized where the media representatives were addressed by MSc Gordana Kovačević, the president of Ericsson Nikola Tesla,  Anđelka Visković, deputy major of Split and DSc Srđan Podrug, the dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FESB).

Talking about 30 year period of successful operation of R&D centre in Split, MSc Gordana Kovačević, pointed out:
“I am very proud of the successful performance of our team in Split, which jointly with their colleagues in Zagreb work innovatively and cooperates in the most complex and demanding global ICT projects. A great contribution and an important role of our team in Split in the business success of the company have proved that they are treated with the same importance and on the equal footing as those at the central location. They all function as a single team. I would like to underline that we continuously follow global trends in technology, and therefore we wish to be the driving force in Croatia, and the driver of changer   that occur so quickly in ICT sector.  But, such changes create new opportunities for people, business and society. I consider it of utmost importance for our country, having in mind the demanding situation in economy, which inevitably and with no delay requires launching of key processes in the society.  Primarily, I think of the adjustment to global trends, which requires numerous activities, such as definition of priority areas, stimulation of faster ICT development, interlinking of science, education and economy, orientation to green economy based on up-to-date technologies, development of e-administration and orientation to e-business in all environments, segments and society processes. I am pleased that Ericsson Nikola Tesla employs young and educated people, who work on highly estimated jobs, aimed to customers worldwide. By promoting and implementation of new ICT technologies as a key prerequisite for regional development, by knowledge, competence and experience transfer, cooperation with the University and supporting the local initiatives, we have showed and proved that in Croatian circumstances, a success is possible. This can be also a positive example to Split-Dalmatian County and the whole Croatia. 

Congratulations and recognition were expressed by Anđelka Visković, deputy major of Split, who said:
“Ericsson Nikola Tesla is the company  that during its three decades of operation in Split showed that one can not only gain success, but can stay at the top. The city is proud of the company’s operations, work since it gives an example of cooperation between the economy and science, attracting and developing young experts, as well as encouraging others to growth.  The permanent link between the University of Split, especially FESB, and this regional ICT leader opens new prospects and opportunities. We saw today how the top quality companies work. I believe that this example can motivate others, and that we as a city still have potentials to meet EU Agenda 2020 requirements.“

DSc Srđan Podrug, the dean of FESB Faculty expressed his enthusiasm with such a synergy, and added:
”Through the period of 30 years, many different modes of cooperation have been developed, such as work on thesis, graduating, master and doctoral, on the job training in ICT segment that has been in charge of Ericsson Nikola Tesla experts, ETK Summer Camp, awarding the best students, donations for laboratory furnishing etc. I am very glad that in Split too is a destination for employment and top talent development. This is the fact well known to the new generation of 620 freshmen, who today start with their academic life”.

During the official ceremony, Ericsson Nikola Tesla awarded recognitions to the first employees of the team in Split. Thus Živana Mijačika, Vjeran Radatović and Ivo Radonić were awarded for exceptional contribution to top results and successful cooperation of R&D Center in Split and Zagreb. In addition, DSc Dinko Begušić, DSc Tomislav Kilić and DSc Nikola Rožić from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture were awarded expressions of gratitude for a long-term successful cooperation in science and research, development and education.

Communications Ericsson Nikola Tesla