Ericsson & Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. build Eastern Europe's largest IP backbone

Ericsson and Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. build Eastern Europe's largest IP backbone Today, Ericsson and Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. (TP S.A.), the largest operator in Poland with over 9.8 million subscribers, announced that TP S.A. will significantly increase the capacity of its national IP backbone using Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network. TP S.A. will use Ericsson's AXI 580 IP Backbone Routers to dramatically expand its customer base and quickly and easily deploy reliable, quality services to its end user and service provider customers, such as Internet access, data transmission and satellite connections. This agreement is in addition to a recent contract announced in August, where TP S.A. selected Ericsson's MINI-LINK BAS solution for deployment of a broadband wireless access point-to-multipoint LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution Systems) system in Warsaw. "Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network offers us a highly robust, scalable IP backbone solution that will enable us to meet our rapidly expanding customer base," said Euzebiusz Sowa, marketing and service director for TP S.A.'s Data Transmission Systems. "We are also impressed with the ability of Ericsson's extensive global services program to support us at a local level." By the end of this year, TP S.A. will install Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network in more than a dozen cities in Poland, including Warsaw, Lódz, Cracow, Katowice, Szczecin and Poznan, placing it at the forefront of the next generation IP technology market in Eastern Europe. "Telekomunikacja Polska's decision to choose Ericsson again, this time for their IP backbone network, represents the growing trend we are seeing of operators choosing experienced vendors that can offer end-to-end data and telecom solutions," said Mike Thurk, executive vice president of Ericsson's Data Backbone and Optical Networks division. "We're very pleased to be partnering with TP S.A. to power their backbone network and provide local services." Ericsson is the leading communications supplier, combining innovation in mobility and Internet in creating the new era of Mobile Internet. Ericsson provides total solutions covering everything from systems and applications to mobile phones and other communications tools. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for customers all over the world. Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Paula Angel-Jones, Director of Public Relations Ericsson Data Backbone and Optical Networks division Phone: +1 781 505 6245; E-mail: paula.angel-jones@ericsson.com Katarzyna Pak, Communications Manager, Ericsson Poland Phone: +48 22 691 6515; E-mail: katarzyna.pak@epo.ericsson.se Tomasz Paczkowski, Project Manager Telekomunikacja Polska S.A., Data Transmission Systems Phone: +48 22 523 03 12; E-mail: tompa@cst.tpsa.pl About Telekomunikacja Polska SA Telekomunikacja Polska SA is one of the largest telecom operators in Poland. It offers services such as high-quality connections, data transmission, satellite connections and Internet access. TP S.A. also owns shares of Polska Telefonia Komórkowa Centertel (PTC Centertel), operator of NMT 450, GSM 900 and GSM 1800 mobile systems. Today, TP S.A. has more than 9.8 million wireline subscribers. About Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network (PBN) is an Internet-class, carrier- class data backbone and a key component to both wireless and wireline operators' transitions to next generation networks. PBN enables operators to offer new or expanded services over an IP infrastructure in an extremely reliable and ultra-scalable configuration. PBN is based on the following hardware platforms from Ericsson: the AXI 580 and AXI 520 IP Backbone Routers, AXI 540 Edge Aggregation Router and AXD 301 High- Performance ATM Switch. The AXI 580 and AXI 520 IP Backbone Routers are based on Juniper technology. Ericsson adds significant network management capabilities to these IP backbone platforms as well as worldwide integration and support services. PBN includes a Multiservice Management Suite (MMS) of products that includes in-house developed tools optimized for next generation networks and tools from best-in-class partners to address management issues in four key areas: network provisioning, service provisioning, service and network assurance, customer care and billing. PBN also employs Ericsson's innovative range of robust DWDM optical networking products: ERIcsson Optical Networking (ERION). For more information on Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network, see: http://www.ericsson.com/pressroom/Archive/2000Q2/20000505-0011.html