HiQ signs framework agreement with the Swedish Emergency Management Agency - telecoms expertise is in demand in more and

HiQ signs framework agreement with the Swedish Emergency Management Agency - telecoms expertise is in demand in more and more sectors The IT and management consultancy, HiQ, has signed a framework agreement with the Swedish Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). The agreement covers IT and telecoms services and will be in force for two years. "Based on our expertise in the field of telecoms we accept assignments and enter into agreements with significant customers in new sectors. The agreement with the Swedish Emergency Management Agency is one of several indications of the demand for companies with considerable experience in the telecoms industry. HiQ has worked with leading suppliers, operators and users within the telecoms field since 1995," says Patrik Boman, Managing Director of HiQ Stockholm. HiQ has worked with SEMA since 2002 and this has involved, among other things, mapping and analysing a number of large fixed and mobile datacoms and telecoms networks that will be part of the agency's preparedness in the event of major emergencies. SEMA coordinates work on the preparedness of society to manage serious crises and is responsible for information security in Sweden. SEMA also cooperates internationally with similar agencies in other countries and participates in the emergency management cooperation pursued by the EU and with NATO within the framework of the Partnership for Peace (PFP). "The use of civil technology is growing as international cooperation increases in the areas of security, emergency management and traditional defence. For HiQ, a company with experience in communication-intensive sectors such as telecoms and defence, this is a favourable trend. SEMA's work with securing access to communication channels on both local and regional level in the event of war or emergencies is one example where civil technology is used. Another example is network-based defence which uses civil technology to enable communication between various branches of the armed services," says Lars Stugemo, CEO of HiQ International. For more information, please contact: Patrik Boman, Managing Director HiQ Stockholm, tel.: +46 (0)8 588 90 000 Anna Svensson, CIO HiQ, tel.: +46 (0)8 588 90 015, +46 (0)704 200 103 HiQ is an IT and management consultancy that focuses on high-tech solutions in the fields of communication, software development and simulation. The company is a leader in these fields and the Nordic region is its domestic market. HiQ employs more than 400 people at offices in Sweden, Finland and Denmark. HiQ is listed on Stockholmsbörsen (the Stockholm Exchange). For more information, please visit www.hiq.se. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/05/20040304BIT20620/wkr0006.pdf