Sonera and Equant Form GPRS IP Roaming Partnership
Business Wire - October 11, 2000 09:59
MONTREUX, Switzerland & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 2000--
Offering The First Global GRX Service To Mobile Operators
Sonera and Equant (NYSE: ENT) (Paris Bourse: EQU) have joined forces to offer GPRS roaming possibilities to mobile operators.
The resulting solution, based on the concept of GRX (GPRS Roaming Exchange), will facilitate roaming between the networks of different GPRS operators.
GPRS, which stands for General Radio Packet Services, enables access to Internet Protocol (IP) services via mobile terminals. GRX, as specified in the IR.34 recommendations laid down by the International Roaming Expert Group (IREG) of the GSM Association, is a centralized IP routing network for interconnecting GPRS networks.
Through GRX roaming, GPRS subscribers will be able to access data services including e-mail, graphics and video while outside their home network. This will significantly increase the usage opportunities of GPRS terminals, through mobile operators' mutual roaming agreements. This, in turn, will create additional revenues for operators offering GPRS.
The intention of GRX is to offer cost-efficient, scalable and easy-to-maintain connections to all mobile operators globally. The GRX service, jointly designed by Sonera and Equant, will effectively combine Sonera's leadership in wireless technology with the reach of Equant's global IP network.
"Equant, with its global reach, advanced network and complementary resources, is an ideal partner for offering GRX service on a global scale," said Sonera senior vice president Timo Levoranta from Sonera Mobile Internet Operator Services. "As a mobile operator, we feel that our customers' traffic should be routed outside the public Internet, where lack of security and traffic bottlenecks are common concerns. It is imperative for a GRX operator to be able to connect mobile operators globally via a private, end-to-end managed IP network, and with Equant we can do just that."
"We are pleased to be working with Sonera on one of our first major wireless announcements," said Laurence Huntley, executive vice president for Marketing at Equant. "Together, we have developed a very strong roaming service based on a joint design and a common vision of the future. It is global, end-to-end, highly secure, and IP ready," Huntley continued.
World's first GRX roaming, letter of intent in US
In September, Sonera and Nokia completed the world's first GRX based GPRS roaming, with a solution fully compliant with the recommendation of the GSM Association (See Sonera and Nokia press releases September 14, 2000).
In July, Sonera was endorsed by the North American GSM Alliance LLC to supply GPRS IP roaming services. Sonera is one of only three officially recognized GSM Alliance listed GRX providers. Sonera has since signed a Letter of Intent to provide GRX service to VoiceStream, one of the major nationwide providers of communication services in the United States, with potential coverage expanding to nearly 250 million U.S. wireless customers.
Sonera (HEX: SRA)(NASDAQ: SNRA) is an international forerunner in mobile communications and mobile-based services and applications. By combining its expertise in mobile communications, the Internet and service provision, Sonera aims to develop into a global communications operator and provider of transaction and content services. The company also provides advanced data communications solutions to businesses, and fixed network voice services in Finland and its nearby areas. In 1999, Sonera's revenues amounted to EUR 1.85 billion and profit before extraordinary items and taxes was EUR 0.5 billion.
Equant operates the world's largest network, providing data, Internet and voice services to multi-national companies around the globe. The network reaches key business centers in more than 220 countries and territories. For additional information, see www.equant.com.
This release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements relating to Equant that involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that these statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Equant with the SEC, specifically the most recent filing on Form 20-F, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including, among other things, risks relating to Equant's history of operating losses, the unpredictability of growth in Equant's markets, Equant's rapid growth, changing technology, uncertain and changing regulatory restrictions, Equant's international operations, dependence on suppliers, network security issues, competition, and volatility of Equant's stock price. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to Equant on the date hereof, and Equant assumes no obligation to update such statements.
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