Swedish phone maker Ericsson Thursday agreed to sell Korean handset company LG Electronics the components, blueprints and software needed to create 2.5G and 3G mobile phones, according to Ericsson.

"This approach enables LG Electronics to launch new products quickly with minimum R&D investment and at the same time to come out as a strong supplier of handsets when consumers all over the world take on 3G," according the statement.

LG Electronics already licenses from Ericsson technology for creating Dual Mode GPRS handsets.

Saying the mobile handset business is changing to one of specialized companies supplying phone components rather than a few firms providing complete products, Ericsson said it will now supply core 2.5G and 3G phone technology.

Sony Ericsson was the first customer of Ericsson's Mobile Platform unit. Ericsson Jan. 11 sold 3G phone technology to Korea's Samsung.

In a related move, mobile chip maker Motorola sold a Taiwan phone designer 2.5G technology.