Ericsson unveils the T20, a new mobile phone for trendsetters and young consumers

[REMOVED GRAPHICS] Press Release October 31, 2000 Ericsson unveils the T20, a new mobile phone for trendsetters and young consumers Today at simultaneous events in London, Stockholm, Helsinki, Athens and Moscow, Ericsson launched the T20, an innovative mobile phone targeted toward trendsetters and young consumers. The T20 is the first phone in the world to feature Swatch® Internet time. It also features WAP mobile chat. The Ericsson T20 will be available starting November 2000. At the launch, chart-topping R'n'B-group All Saints made an appearance, revealing how they use Internet and mobile communications. Wear it the way you want to. The Ericsson T20 lets you show who you are. It lets you chat with whomever you want, whenever and wherever via SMS or WAP. Attach the FM radio or MP3-player to it and dig your favorite beats. The Swatch® Internet time helps you organize yourself and keep up with the pace without having to worry about time differences and daylight saving. The global launch of the T20 took place at exactly @480 beats in London (10.32 am), Stockholm (11.32 am) and Helsinki (12.32 am). In Internet time, there is no day or night, there are no time zones or geographical borders. Internet time was invented by Swatch and is based on one global time zone for all Internet users. "Swatch Internet Time has changed the way web-surfers world-wide think about time, giving them a revolutionary tool to come together, play, chat and communicate," said Mr. G. Nick Hayek Jr., Delegate of the board of directors of Swatch SA. "Mobile phones are obviously one of today's primary communication tools and we are very happy that Ericsson is embracing the Internet Time revolution in their new product." What? WAP! Why limit yourself to using the Internet when tied to your desk? With the help of circuit-switched WAP, the T20 not only lets you read your horoscope, get up to date information about chilling clubs and the hottest movies but it also makes this phone the ultimate mobile chat-tool. Swedish company Mgage Systems recently launched Mobile Chat and Mobile E-card applications for WAP. Mobile Chat is a real time chat service that can be used from WAP phones as well as over the Web. Simply log on to a WAP chat- room and start chatting with people from all over the world. Remember that strangers are just friends you don't know! When you find a group of people who you like particularly, just suggest a sealed-off chat-room or use the SMS-groups and templates available in the T20 and continue your discussions. This chat certainly does not limit you and your newly found friends in any way, everyone can have any kind of phone they prefer, the only requirement is WAP and the only important thing is that you have fun. Tune in and dig. Ericsson likes music. As you probably won't let go of the T20 once you get hold of it, it is a good thing that you can use it for other things than communicating. Attach the Ericsson FM radio and tune in to news, music, gardening program or sports. Or attach the Ericsson MP3-player and listen to your favorite tunes - just remember to avoid downloading illegal music. "During the recording of our last album 'Saints and Sinners', we surfed the web between takes to chat with friends and keep up with the latest music news. Now, it's going to be really good to be able to do all of that direct on the T20 phone," said Shaznay Lewis of All Saints. Designed to touch your senses. Available before year-end. Everyone who picks up the phone notices that it fits unusually well in the hand but also in a jeans-pocket or in a handbag. The Ericsson T20 will be available starting in November 2000, in a range of vibrant colors chosen to create intensity of form and a strong visual impact. New methods of working with materials and colors have resulted in a phone that carries a particularly strong personality. "The T20 is the result of Ericsson listening to young consumers", said Jan Ahrenbring, Vice President, Marketing and Communications at Ericsson. "Communication, personal expression, music, the Internet and fashion are all important aspects of their lives and all that is represented in the charming T20, which serves as a promise that Ericsson will deliver the most innovative products for young consumers." Show your personality. Ericsson likes to accessorize. In Japan, a country known for its cutting edge innovativeness in mobile communications, young consumers are turning their mobile phones into their personal communications tool. They attach stickers to it, they buy carrying cases from trendy designers and wear their phones with pride around their wrists or necks with cool straps. Ericsson took this into account when developing the T20 and made it possible to attach carrying straps to it. Pick your favorite fashion brand or why not make your own straps and bags for the T20. Ericsson asked some friends at Acne and DiscoSthlm to come up with ideas on how they would like to wear their T20. The results were metallic straps with tags but also a pouch inspired by a classic Swedish glove from the north, used by the Swedish military and generations of snowman-building kids, the Lovika glove. Weight with kit battery: 128 grams Games, ballpop, Tetris, e-maze, erix Talk time: up to 10 hrs SMS templates Standby time: up to 200 hrs Voice answering Start-up graphics Voice dialing WAP 1.1 browser GSM 900/1800 dual band Full graphic display 3 rows of text Vibrating alert The Mobile chat and Mobile e-cards applications provided by Mgage Systems are available on http://mobileinternet.ericsson.com/ 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 Jan Ahrenbring, Vice President Marketing and Communications Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: +46 70 590 9900 Bo Albertson, Marketing Director Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: + 46 8 764 1388, +46 70 510 0992 For further information about Swatch, please contact: Aude Daubeuf, Swatch PR International Phone: +41 32 343 90 93, Fax: +41 32 343 9669, E-mail: aude.daubeuf@swatch.com For further information about Mgage Systems AB, please contact: Styrbjörn Horn, CEO Phone: +46 70 26 11 000, E-mail: styrbjorn.horn@mgage.com To view photos of the new Ericsson T20, please go to: http://www.ericsson.com/press/phli_pcoph.shtml For further information about Swatch® Internet Time and the T20 design, please go to: http://www.ericsson.com/press/reference.shtml ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/10/31/20001031BIT00680/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/10/31/20001031BIT00680/bit0002.pdf