Ericsson's ENGINE to expand Telia's international carrier network

Ericsson's ENGINE to expand Telia's international carrier network Telia International Carrier has chosen Ericsson's ENGINE Bridgehead Solution to enable the Swedish operator fast deployment of carrier class voice and data services as they expand into the European market. The contract is an important step for Telia in fulfilling their ambition to remain a leading international carrier. Ericsson's ENGINE Bridgehead solution will make it possible for Telia to provide the European market with long distance carrier-class traffic - a fast-growing business area. According to the agreement, Ericsson will deliver two Telephony Servers, one in France and one in Germany, and thirteen Media Gateways. The Telephony Servers will handle the call control while the Media Gateways, based on Ericsson's AXD 301 switch, will handle interconnections between operators throughout Europe. "One of Telia International Carrier's goals is to become the third largest carrier in Europe, and among the largest in the American market by 2003," says Lars Rydin, Telia. "To succeed we must be able to offer our customers best possible quality at the lowest possible cost. By acquiring Ericsson's ENGINE Bridgehead solution we are taking a step forward and becoming one of the most compatible actors on the European voice market." Ericsson's ENGINE Bridgehead solution is a cost-effective solution, capable of fast rollout and offers operators the possibility to invest as they grow. The agreement also covers services, which in this case means that Ericsson will operate the network from its Network Operation Center (NOC) in Burgess Hill, UK, during the initial phase of the project. "We are very pleased that Telia has chosen Ericsson's ENGINE solution when expanding their international carrier network," says Steinar Tveit, President, Ericsson Sweden AB. "This, and other ENGINE contracts, show that Ericsson is the world leader in turning existing telecom networks into multi-service networks for voice, Internet and video - all very important areas in the future." 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 Joséphine Edwall Björklund, Communications Director, Ericsson Sverige AB Phone: +46 8 579 180 18, +46 70 519 16 98 E-mail: josephine.edwall@ese.ericsson.se About Telia International Carrier Telia's wholly owned subsidiary, Telia International Carrier, provides IP, Capacity, Voice and Infrastructure services. Today, the company is the leading European carrier of transatlantic IP traffic to the USA. Its wholly owned multi-fibre optic network - the Viking Network - provides high capacity bandwidth and offers end-to-end connectivity round the world. The network is a giant investment-intensive venture designed to expand Telia International Carrier to cover Scandinavia, Europe and the USA by 2001. The infrastructure in Europe is designed as a multi-duct network connecting all significant cities with IP and telecommunications. By the end of 2000, the network will cover 30,000 route kilometres throughout Europe and the USA, connecting 50 major cities. Telia is the leading Scandinavian Internet & Communication company. Operating from its position as the largest player in the expanding North European market, the firm has established a strong global presence with representation all over the world. The turnover of the company in 1999 was SEK 52,121 million. Telia employs 30,600 people. Visit Telia at http://www.telia.com About ENGINE Ericsson is a leader in circuit-to-packet solutions. In January 1999 Ericsson was the world's first vendor to receive a substantial order for a next generation network circuit-to-packet migration solution for British Telecom's national network. Ericsson was also the first supplier in February 2000 to announce live service on a circuit-to-packet network following its agreement and deployment with Telefónica in Spain. Ericsson has received a number of orders for solutions based on the same concept, including contracts with KPN International Network Services, Telia Denmark, eircom and Diveo (formerly Diginet Americas). Ericsson's vision for future networks is a new type of robust, multi- service network infrastructure based on new packet-switching technologies designed for real-time services; a network able to carry large and growing volumes of bit traffic, and to cope with the interconnection requirements of deregulated and competitive telecom environments. Ericsson has created ENGINE - a powerful, data-enabled, multi-service network offering. The technologies used in this architecture - and the structure itself - are fully optimized to achieve the lowest operational costs, bringing the highest possible revenue opportunities for operators. To learn more about Ericsson's suite of multi-service networks, ENGINE, please visit, http://www.ericsson.com/ngn