Commercial breakthrough for the Ericson IP-telephony solution over ADSL

Commercial breakthrough for the Ericson IP-telephony solution over ADSL Ericsson has signed an agreement with Sonera Entrum Ltd, a Sonera Group company, for deliveries of DRG - Digital Residential Gateways. The Gateways give Sonera Entrum Ltd, the capability to add voice services to their current Internet access services offering. This is a commercial breakthrough for the Ericsson solution for residential IP-telephony over ADSL (Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line) networks. Operators can already offer fast Internet over their broadband connections and it is now a logical step to include voice when expanding their services. With the Ericsson DRG, Sonera's customers can use standard analog telephones to make two simultaneous IP-telephony calls while using Internet, all on one broadband connection over the ADSL network. The DRG will be offered to customers interested in Sonera's "Puhekaista" (voiceband) service. It is estimated that the number of residential broadband connections will increase to near 300.000 within a few years. "Sonera's Puhekaista service utilizes the existing fixed network and expands considerably the possible ways of using broadband connections in Finland," says Jari Hakalin, department manager from Sonera Entrum. "We are very pleased that a well-known, forward-looking company like Sonera has chosen Ericsson to supply the residential gateways for their IP-telephony services," says Per-Olof Sjöberg, General Manager of RCS (Residential Communication Services) at Ericsson Business Innovation AB. "This shows that IP-telephony is now fully accepted as a mass market solution among network operators. Deliveries of DRG Residential Gateways to Sonera have already started. Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world. Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/press FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Donya Ekstrand, Director of External Communications Ericsson Business Innovation AB Phone: +46 8 719 2597 Mobile: +46 70 557 4962 E-mail: donya.ekstrand@inn.ericsson.se Jari Hakalin, Department Manager, Sonera Entrum Ltd Phone: +358 400 512 933 E-mail:jari.hakalin@sonera.com About Sonera Entrum Sonera Entrum Ltd provides fixed network voice and data services for businesses, organizations and consumers on both a local and a regional basis. The company operates an access network of its own in Finland and is also in charge of fixed-network joint ventures in the Baltic countries. About Sonera Sonera (HEX:SRA, NASDAQ:SNRA) is an international forerunner in mobile communications and mobile-based services and applications. By combining its expertise in mobile communications, the internet and service provision, Sonera aims to develop into a global communications operator and provider of transaction and content services. The company also provides advanced data communications solutions to businesses, and fixed network voice services in Finland and its nearby areas. In 2000, Sonera's revenues amounted to eur 2.05 billion, and profit before extraordinary items and taxes was eur 1.86 billion. Sonera employs more than 11,000 people.