Ericsson selects AU-System as partner to distribute Bluetooth Host Stack

Ericsson selects AU-System as partner to distribute Bluetooth Host Stack Ericsson and AU-System, the Swedish specialist consulting company, today signed a non-exclusive agreement for distribution of the Bluetooth Host Stack from Ericsson. The agreement gives AU-System the right to offer and adapt Ericsson's Bluetooth Host Stack to other manufacturers and application developers worldwide. From the beginning of the Bluetooth initiative, Ericsson's goal has been to spread usage and to enable companies of all sizes to use the Bluetooth technology. The partnership with AU System is an important step towards this goal. It is now estimated that before year 2002, Bluetooth will be a built-in feature in more than 100 million mobile phones and in several million other communication devices, ranging from headsets and portable PC's to desktop computers and notebooks. "The agreement further strengthens AU-System's global wireless service offering," says Anders Cedervall, Executive Vice President of AU-System. "The industry acceptance for Bluetooth has so far been overwhelming and the technology is probably the most important step towards the wireless society. It is of great strategic importance to AU-System to help Ericsson spread Bluetooth worldwide." AU-System's wireless business is currently growing rapidly. The company is the exclusive worldwide distributor of Ericsson's WAP Browser. Currently there are more than 130 active consultants working with wireless technology and applications at AU-System. The company is a member of the Bluetooth SIG and WAP Forum. The Bluetooth Host Stack from Ericsson is a software component that enables local wireless connections from PC-to-PC as well as PC-to-other devices such as PDAs, Mobile Phones, LAN Access Points, Digital Cameras and Headsets etc. The Stack follows the Specification of the Bluetooth System 1.0 and is operative system and hardware independent. Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Jan Ahrenbring, Vice President Marketing and Communications Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: +46 70 590 9900 Bo Albertson, PR and Information Manager Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: +46 8 764 1388, +46 70 510 0992 Anders Cedervall, Executive Vice President, AU-System Phone: +46 705 330 330, E-mail: anders.cedervall@ausys.se About Bluetooth The Bluetooth technology is set to revolutionize the personal connectivity market by providing freedom from wired connections. It is a specification for a small form-factor, low-cost radio solution providing links between mobile computers, mobile phones and other portable handheld devices and connectivity to the Internet. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), consisting of leaders in the telecommunications and computing industries is driving development of the technology and bringing it to market. The group includes founding members Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and Toshiba, and more than 1300 other companies. Last week also 3Com Corporation, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft Corporation and Motorola Inc. agreed to join the five founding companies of the SIG, to form the new Promoter group of the Bluetooth SIG About AU-System Founded in 1974, AU-System quickly established itself as Sweden's first software specialist in the area of data communications. Today, AU-System remains Sweden's largest independent consulting company within the networking field, with more than 500 employees. AU-System offer world class wireless software solutions and advanced consulting services, including integration and development projects, business development, and advisory services. The head office is based in Stockholm with other offices in Gothenburg, Lund and Östersund. Earlier this year AU-System was presented with the prestigious industry award IT Company of the Year, 1999, by the Swedish business magazine Veckans Affärer. For more information, please visit the AU-System Web site at http://www.ausystem.com