Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) today announced the formation of a ‘Thomson-Inventel Advanced Product Development Group’ to further reinforce and accelerate the development and deployment of innovative broadband service delivery platforms and home networking solutions to its network operator and Internet Service Provider client base.

As networking possibilities expand, network operators need an increasingly broad and sophisticated range of consumer equipment to gain and hold subscribers, and complement their value-added services to expand revenues. To better address existing and, in particular, anticipate future needs, the Thomson-Inventel Advanced Product Development Group will develop cutting-edge broadband service delivery products and solutions for subsequent industrialization and commercialization by the Telecom and Home Networking Business Units of the company.

Leveraging the skills responsible for the successful launch of multiple play and fixed-mobile convergence solutions for major European operators this year, the group will be headed up by Eric Carreel, co-founder of Inventel, and consolidate all the necessary expertise around residential gateway, home networking and other broadband applications technologies within the company.

“The formation of the Thomson-Inventel Advanced Product Development Group will reinforce Thomson’s reputation as a leader in innovative technologies and creative product development and significantly enhance our ability to serve our network operator and ISP client base,” stated Bruno Fabre, Vice President, Telecoms at Thomson. Bringing together these product innovation skills will also enable us to sharpen our competitive edge and better tap the potential of this rapidly growing market,” he added.