Ericsson receives three major contract in the United Arab Emirates

Ericsson receives three major contracts in the United Arab Emirates Ericsson has been awarded three important contracts by Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (ETISALAT) valued at approximately USD 25 million (SEK 195 million). The first contract includes provision of Intelligent Network (IN) platform and services in the United Arab Emirates, thus making it Ericsson's first IN inroad in the Middle East. The contract covers mainly Intelligent Network Pre- paid card services for fixed and mobile networks, such as, Pre-paid Card, Account card, Pre-paid SIM card and home country dialling. The second contract includes the expansion of the fixed national network with AXE Local and AXE Transit exchanges, which cover a major share of the Etisalat network expansion 1998 and 1999. A third award has been received for three AXE exchanges for international traffic, which will further strengthen the Etisalat international network. Technically the service logic is stored in one SCP (Service Control Point) which is accessed from the AXE exchanges in both the fixed and the mobile network. Etisalat is the largest user of these kind of pre-paid cards in the Middle East thus surpassing all demand forecast. Pre-paid cards are very popular in UAE being utilised by both heavily concentrated expatriate population and business visitors to the region. Ericsson, the world leader in Network Intelligence , has supplied solutions to more than 100 fixed and wireless operators. Customers range from start-up carriers and ISP's to full service operators. Ericsson´s 100,000 employees are active in more than 130 countries. Their combined expertise in fixed and mobile networks, mobile phones and infocom systems makes Ericsson a world-leading supplier in telecommunications. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Bo Nilsson, General Manager Ericsson Technical Office in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Phone: +971 2 724222 Ulf Lesley, Director of Global Marketing - Network Intelligence Business Unit Public Networks, Ericsson Infocom Systems Phone: +46 8 719 6862 or + 46 70 519 6862 Lars Östlund, Press Relations Manager, Ericsson Infocom Systems Phone: +46 8 681 2656