Ericsson will deliver the radio network base station software upgrades, a CGSN node and related services to Ålands Mobiltelefon.

"We have been running a GSM network since 1993," says Stefan Olofsson, Director of Ålands Mobiltelefon AB. "Our current mobile network infrastructure was developed entirely on the basis of Ericsson equipment. The EDGE upgrade is a natural step in our mobile service development."

Since May 2001, Ålands Mobiltelefon has run an independent GPRS-compatible GSM network with its own network nodes, international roaming and national roaming for those Finnish operators without licenses on the Åland islands.

Ålands Mobiltelefon holds more than 50 percent of the mobile communications market on the Åland islands. The company currently has approximately 9.500 subscribers.

The implementation of the EDGE upgrade will begin in September. Full coverage over the Åland islands and commercial availability will be provided within a year.