| To: Joar who wrote (82) | 8/18/2000 1:35:15 PM | | From: jopawa | | | | Europe
Sonera, Adding Wireless Services, Shows That Small Can Be Expensive
By Nick Watson
Senior European Correspondent
8/15/00 6:02 PM ET
URL: thestreet.com
LONDON -- In the wireless world, scale is said to be everything. Now the mobile operators chasing after Finland's Sonera (SNRA:Nasdaq ADR) are finding that innovation counts for a lot, too.
It was just a matter of time before Sonera, which operates largely in niche markets and has only 6 million subscribers, would find itself attractive to firms like France Telecom's (FTE:NYSE ADR) Orange and Telefonica (TEF:NYSE ADR). Sonera itself admitted as much by announcing that it was looking at a number of alternatives, including joining with a larger competitor. TSC reported in May that traders were focusing on the possibility of a Sonera-Vodafone linkup, although both companies denied the talk.
Yet Sonera is not simply selling out, nor does it need to. Sonera is pioneering the move from being a purely wireless carrier to one that offers wireless services, something that analysts argue all operators will have to do as access rates continue to fall. As a result, Sonera, with its new service businesses, is actually in a pretty strong bargaining position.
Services From A to Zed
Its two fast-growing businesses attracting the greatest amount of attention are Zed and SmartTrust.
Zed is a mobile portal that was launched last October. It offers data on both the short message services, or SMS, and wireless application protocol, or WAP, platforms to about 15 million potential users. Zed has seven contracts with network operators, including Holland's KPN Mobile (KPN:NYSE ADR), America's Powertel and Hutchison Telecom in Germany.
Zed is aiming to offer its services to 30 million potential users by the end of 2000 and, judging by first-half results released last month, it's well ahead of these expectations. The brokerage Handelsbanken expects Zed to cover a potential 60 million users by the end of 2003.
SmartTrust is involved in the potentially huge market for security systems for mobile commerce, widely known as m-commerce. As operators roll out universal mobile telecommunications services, or UMTS, users will be able to make banking transactions over mobile phones, which increases the need for security. Although companies like Baltimore Technologies (BALT:Nasdaq ADR) and Entrust Technologies (ENTU:Nasdaq ADR) are also working on offering wireless security systems, SmartTrust is one of the few companies devoted to wireless systems only.
Sonera is unsurprisingly very optimistic about both divisions. When the company announced first-half earnings, it said it intends to accelerate its 200 million euro ($183 million) investment plan in them. Analysts expect the two divisions to contribute almost a third of Sonera's total revenues by the end of 2003.
While the company and many analysts realize the value of the new service businesses, the market clearly doesn't. Sonera closed Monday at 41.70 euros, far short of the fair values analysts are placing on the company.
The Missing Value
Investors fail to add in Sonera's new businesses.
John Karidis, an analyst at Commerzbank, puts Sonera's fair value at 58 euros, implying a potential upside of 38% from Monday's closing price. Karidis believes the domestic mobile and fixed business is worth 23 euros, holdings in foreign companies like Turkcell are worth 18 euros and the new service businesses 17 euros.
The models of the new businesses are still in the very early stages, however, making it hard to place a value on them. That is why, according to Visa Manninen, an analyst at Carnegie, Sonera plans to hold a conference on Sep. 5 to "shed more light on the NSBs [new service businesses] and their business models, and give an idea to analysts about how their current valuation is too low."
Manninen says at this meeting Sonera will also announce separate stock market listings for Zed and SmartTrust, probably by the end of next April.
Commerzbank's Karidis says these separate listings will achieve three things: Provide Sonera with stock as acquisition currency for these new businesses, allow the company to reward employees with stock options and, of course, gain a truer market value for the businesses.
Carnegie's Manninen argues Sonera is ultimately aiming to merge its mobile networks with a larger entity and continue as an independent holding company focusing on the new service businesses.
If that's the case, then Orange, one of the potential suitors, will pull out of any negotiations pretty quickly. Orange's chief executive, Hans Snook, indicated on Monday that his company is looking specifically at the areas where Sonera is "about six to eight months ahead"; in other words, the new service businesses.
If Orange's rivals for the Finnish firm feel the same way, then "whoever buys Sonera will have to buy the whole company," argues Commerzbank's Karidis.
And that's likely to be an expensive proposition, proving that in the wireless world size might not be everything after all.
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© 2000 TheStreet.com, All Rights Reserved. |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 8/24/2000 1:35:03 PM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera and Telefónica will register Intention of Interest in Italian licence auction
August 23, 2000, 11:10 a.m.
Sonera Corporation will join the Ipse 2000 consortium, which Telefónica S.A. has established for the application of a third generation mobile network licence in Italy. Ipse 2000 will register an Intention of Interest in the Italian licence auction on August 24. Sonera's holding in the consortium will be less than 20%.
The ownership structure of the consortium is still open and will be settled by September 11, which is the pre-qualification deadline in the Italian application process. The actual auction will begin in October.
Group 3G, a joint venture of Sonera (42.8%) and Telefónica (57.2%), was granted a third generation mobile communications licence in Germany last week. In addition, Sonera has a 3G mobile network licence in Finland, and Sonera's associated company Xfera S.A. (Sonera 15%) holds a corresponding licence in Spain. Together with Enitel AS of Norway, Sonera has applied for a third generation mobile communications licence in Norway. In addition, Sonera has registered an interest in the Swiss application process.
sonera.fi
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 9/26/2000 10:26:39 AM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera zed To Launch Mobile chatting and other WAP Services At PCIA GlobalXchange 2000
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2000--
Integrated WAP Services To Include a Full Suite of Easy to Use Services For the Young Trendsetter and Mobile Professional
Sonera zed u.s., inc. is launching its WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) services today at PCIA GlobalXchange 2000, booth #3748, in Chicago.
Sonera zed, a subsidiary of Sonera Corporation (Nasdaq: SNRA), is a pioneer in global personalized intelligent services for wireless devices combining the best features of mobile communications and the Internet. Zed's WAP services will be commercially available in the first quarter of 2001.
Zed's WAP offering is designed to simplify and enhance consumer lives. Zed allows a personalized and seamless access to relevant services through its intuitive and easy-to-use navigation. Users can customize menus, set personal profiles and receive personalized alerts. The most unique feature is zed's capability to pass relevant content from one application to the other, i.e. the address of a restaurant from Zagat can be added to user's contact book or designated as the end point for driving directions. The review can then be sent to a friend as a recommendation.
"Our goal in designing our WAP offering has been to seamlessly integrate various applications and therefore reduce the number of key strokes required to achieve desired functionalities," said Ilkka Aura, Vice President Product and Strategy.
For the carrier, zed provides a one-stop shop for providing these services to end-users. This includes the compelling content services (such as Zagat's Guide, Fodor's Hotel Guide and Warner/Chappell Music ringing tones), technology platform and implementation.
"WAP services will help to increase mobile phone adoption in the U.S.," said Sohrab Torabi, m-Commerce Analyst at Datamonitor. "PC-based Internet access has become mainstream. WAP-enabled services will be the bridge for consumers to experience true functionality with their wireless devices."
All of zed's WAP services have been designed to integrate with other zed tools. For example, users can access and store personal information in the contact book. In addition, zed provides a history function, allowing one to save previously referenced information for future use, i.e. driving directions to a restaurant.
"Our WAP offering allows you to organize your time, manage your relationships and keep yourself informed while on the move," said Paul Hughes, COO of Sonera zed U.S. "The introduction of WAP services is just the beginning of zed's offering in the U.S. We fully expect to leverage our experience with consumer needs to continually introduce new value-added services such as tailored offerings for the young trendsetter and the mobile professional."
The following WAP services will be demonstrated at PCIA GlobalXchange 2000: -- Mobile communities - zed connects mobile chat users in touch with other users, allowing users to create their own communities with others that have a common interest or connection.
-- Entertainment - Jokes, trivia, horoscopes and games.
-- Information Services - Personalized information such as news
headlines, weather, sports, stocks, traffic reports and driving
directions.
-- Planning - Contact book, history and alerts.
-- Travel - Access flight arrival and departure schedules tracked
by flight number, city, date and time. Schedule change alerts are also
sent to the handset.
-- Find - Search for a person, business, restaurant or hotel.
About Sonera zed
zed is a global pioneer in personalized intelligent services for wireless devices combining the best features of mobile communications and the Internet. zed was conceived, designed and built to support and promote true mobility in both consumer and corporate environments. The range of zed services turn the wireless device into a communications, information and mobile commerce tool. Currently zed services are available in WAP and SMS environments, with the ability to expand the services into future technologies, GPRS and UMTS. At the end of June 2000, zed had over 700,000 monthly users out of Sonera's 2.2 million GSM customers in Finland. Of these active zed customers, 30% had registered at zed's Finnish website in order to personalize their services. Sonera zed ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonera Corporation (HEX: SRA; NASDAQ: SNRA, www.sonera.com). zed's US headquarters are in Boston, MA, with global headquarters in the UK. More information on zed can be found at zed.com.
CONTACT: Hill and Knowlton Inc.
Raymond Yeung, 212/885-0300
Email: ryeung@hillandknowlton.com
or
Sonera zed u.s. inc.
Eija Hautaniemi, 877/947-4933
Email: eija.hautaniemi@sonera.com
nasdaq.com
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 9/27/2000 5:53:45 AM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera: INCREASED RESIDENTIAL CONVENIENCE AND SAFETY PROVIDED BY GSM TECHNOLOGY
September 27, 2000
New premises control and follow-up system
Sonera Corporation and Tammercom Finland Oy have developed a real-estate management system utilizing GSM technology. Thanks to the system, the functions of the home can be easily managed and followed-up by means of a mobile phone or Sonera's Internet pages. The system - aimed at households - will enter into the markets at the turn of the year.
With the help of the real-estate system, it is possible to safely monitor and control the technical functions at home. This monitoring and control is possible wherever a GSM phone operates. The basic package meant for households also consists of a burglar alarm and intelligent fire alarm system. Besides these features, it has the facilities for several different functions. If, for example, the valve of the washing machine breaks, the system informs of the leakage by means of a text message. If a magnetic valve is connected to the dampness indicator, the water inflow is stopped and, thus, water damages are avoided.
"The real-estate system now developed is a handy way to facilitate every-day life. For instance, it is nice to step into a lighted yard in winter. You can activate the sauna to warm up in advance by sending a text message, and your outdoor day is crowned by an already warm sauna," says Mikko Mattila of Sonera, when describing the benefits of the new system. Mr. Mattila continues, "Inauguration of the system is very easy: it can be installed into an existing apartment or building. It can, furthermore, be modified in accordance with the user needs and applications. Another significant benefit is the affordability of the basic package; the price to consumers is only around FIM 5,000."
When developing the system, what was one of the most important aims was user-friendliness. The only visible part of the real-estate system, i.e. palmtop terminal furnished with screen, is small and can be installed at fairly invisible places. The actual management of operations takes place by a GSM mobile phone or via Sonera's Internet pages. The system transfers the information as a text message to the GSM numbers specified by the customer. The operational safety of the system is ensured by customer-identification methods. The real-estate system was test-run at the Housing Fair in Tuusula last summer, where it was embraced by the public, particularly due to its easy-to-use and practical nature.
"Sonera provides our company with an extensive distribution network and expertise in the field," says Markku Koskenniemi, President of Tammercom Finland Oy. He elaborates, "In addition to the basic model targeted at households, we plan to offer even more versatile alternatives with additional functions. We are developing an extensive model that meets with the requirements of new building complexes, housing associations, companies, and industrial real estates, to name but a few."
For further information, please contact:
Sonera Corporation,
Vice President Mikko Mattila,
tel. +358 2040 58858, +358 400 470015 e-mail: mikko.mattila@sonera.com
Development Manager Kimmo Tarvainen,
tel. +358 2040 63637, +358 40 5239533
e-mail: Kimmo.tarvainen@sonera.com
Tammercom Finland Oy,
President Markku Koskenniemi,
tel. +358 3-283 1111, +358 50 502 0220
The picture of the system can be found from the following address: sonera.fi
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.
sonera.fi
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 9/27/2000 6:05:40 AM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera to launch new service for e-learning and project work
September 26, 2000
Sonera will put on the market a new electronic service suitable for instance for companies, universities and other educational institutions for their training and teaching as well as for their project work. Sonera eXperience is a learning and group work tool that opens new, flexible ways of learning due to its availability anywhere and anytime over the Internet. It can be customised for different learning and development purposes. Sonera eXperience was developed in cooperation with experts of pedagogy, user interface design, technology and marketing.
"Learning and development services that are offered over the web are a fast-growing market, and also in this field Sonera can make use of its Internet and technology expertise. Sonera eXperience is part of a service package produced in connection with the Sonera learning services," says Mr Ismo Lindén, Unit Director of Sonera New Learning.
Sonera eXperience supports groups working collectively to achieve a common goal. The application consists of several components of which a planning table constitutes the tool core. Knowledge is refined and shared over the planning table to which each student brings his or her own ideas and files, thus increasing the understanding and competence of both the individuals and the group. In addition to text, it is possible to bring voice, graphics and videos to the planning table. By means of this application, the group can create, utilize and store information and concurrently increase its joint knowledge bank, in which also searches can be made. The group instructor can monitor and advise several students at the same time.
Sonera eXperience has successfully been used at, among others, the Finnish bank Leonia and the Finnish Information Technology Development Centre TIEKE.
"At Leonia, we have transferred our financial assistant examination studies to the Sonera eXperience e-learning environment, and our experience has been positive. Our students consider eXperience easy to use and they have been strongly motivated for this new way of learning, right from the start. By means of this application, we have been able to reduce the amount of classroom teaching for the exam, which has resulted in cost savings since our students come from different parts of Finland," says Mr Eero Rytkönen, HRD Manager at Leonia.
"We have used Sonera eXperience in train-the-trainer courses for the AB computer driving licence exams and the program suited this purpose very well. The students were active to implement the application; they looked up their own groups, got acquainted with each other and set off working together without any prior instructions. It was easy for the tutor to monitor the progress of the training due to the efficient program management system," says Ms Reetta Pentikäinen, Senior Specialist at the Finnish Information Technology Development Centre TIEKE.
Since Sonera eXperience is maintained and supported by Sonera, the program will release training resources of companies, associations and educational institutions so that these resources can be used in the actual teaching. To assist the users, there is a Help Desk in Finnish and English, personal telephone consultation as well as always-available e-mail and voice mail service.
Further information:
Director Ismo Lindén,
Sonera New Learning
tel +358 2040 65519
e-mail: ismo.linden@sonera.com
Marketing Manager Kimmo Timonen,
Sonera New Learning
tel +358 2040 63420
e-mail: kimmo.timonen@sonera.com
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.
sonera.fi
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 9/27/2000 6:13:55 AM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera zed To Launch Mobile chatting and other WAP Services At PCIA GlobalXchange 2000
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2000--
Integrated WAP Services To Include a Full Suite of Easy to Use
Services For the Young Trendsetter and Mobile Professional
Sonera zed u.s., inc. is launching its WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) services today at PCIA GlobalXchange 2000, booth #3748, in Chicago.
Sonera zed, a subsidiary of Sonera Corporation (Nasdaq: SNRA), is a pioneer in global personalized intelligent services for wireless devices combining the best features of mobile communications and the Internet. Zed's WAP services will be commercially available in the first quarter of 2001.
Zed's WAP offering is designed to simplify and enhance consumer lives. Zed allows a personalized and seamless access to relevant services through its intuitive and easy-to-use navigation. Users can customize menus, set personal profiles and receive personalized alerts. The most unique feature is zed's capability to pass relevant content from one application to the other, i.e. the address of a restaurant from Zagat can be added to user's contact book or designated as the end point for driving directions. The review can then be sent to a friend as a recommendation.
"Our goal in designing our WAP offering has been to seamlessly integrate various applications and therefore reduce the number of key strokes required to achieve desired functionalities," said Ilkka Aura, Vice President Product and Strategy.
For the carrier, zed provides a one-stop shop for providing these services to end-users. This includes the compelling content services (such as Zagat's Guide, Fodor's Hotel Guide and Warner/Chappell Music ringing tones), technology platform and implementation.
"WAP services will help to increase mobile phone adoption in the U.S.," said Sohrab Torabi, m-Commerce Analyst at Datamonitor. "PC-based Internet access has become mainstream. WAP-enabled services will be the bridge for consumers to experience true functionality with their wireless devices."
All of zed's WAP services have been designed to integrate with other zed tools. For example, users can access and store personal information in the contact book. In addition, zed provides a history function, allowing one to save previously referenced information for future use, i.e. driving directions to a restaurant.
"Our WAP offering allows you to organize your time, manage your relationships and keep yourself informed while on the move," said Paul Hughes, COO of Sonera zed U.S. "The introduction of WAP services is just the beginning of zed's offering in the U.S. We fully expect to leverage our experience with consumer needs to continually introduce new value-added services such as tailored offerings for the young trendsetter and the mobile professional."
The following WAP services will be demonstrated at PCIA GlobalXchange 2000:
-- Mobile communities - zed connects mobile chat users in touch with other users, allowing users to create their own communities with others that have a common interest or connection.
-- Entertainment - Jokes, trivia, horoscopes and games.
-- Information Services - Personalized information such as news headlines, weather, sports, stocks, traffic reports and driving directions.
-- Planning - Contact book, history and alerts.
-- Travel - Access flight arrival and departure schedules tracked by flight number, city, date and time. Schedule change alerts are also sent to the handset.
-- Find - Search for a person, business, restaurant or hotel.
About Sonera zed
zed is a global pioneer in personalized intelligent services for wireless devices combining the best features of mobile communications and the Internet. zed was conceived, designed and built to support and promote true mobility in both consumer and corporate environments. The range of zed services turn the wireless device into a communications, information and mobile commerce tool. Currently zed services are available in WAP and SMS environments, with the ability to expand the services into future technologies, GPRS and UMTS. At the end of June 2000, zed had over 700,000 monthly users out of Sonera's 2.2 million GSM customers in Finland. Of these active zed customers, 30% had registered at zed's Finnish website in order to personalize their services. Sonera zed ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonera Corporation (HEX: SRA; NASDAQ: SNRA, www.sonera.com). zed's US headquarters are in Boston, MA, with global headquarters in the UK. More information on zed can be found at zed.com.
quote.bloomberg.com
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 9/27/2000 2:34:55 PM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera zed Reinforces US Strategy With Several Recent Content Partner Alliances; New Partners Include Fodors.com, Vicinity, zagat.com and 1-800-TAXICAB
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 2000--Sonera zed u.s., inc., announced today at PCIA GlobalXChange, booth no. 3478, that it has entered into several key strategic alliances which will enable zed to provide compelling mobile specific applications for zed users.
Sonera zed, a subsidiary of Sonera Corporation (Nasdaq:SNRA), is a pioneer in global personalized intelligent services for wireless devices combining the best features of mobile communications and the Internet.
The four content partners added today include Fodors.com, the premier, award-winning online travel information planning site; Vicinity, the leading provider of infrastructure services for the Global 2000 on Internet and wireless platforms; zagat.com, the Web's premiere provider of consumer survey-based dining; and, 1-800-TAXICAB, the foremost provider of taxi cab referral services across North America.
"These agreements represent our continuous commitment to provide zed users with the types of services that will make their lives easier and more enjoyable," said Ilkka Aura, VP of Product and Strategy for Sonera zed u.s., inc. "By partnering with the leaders in their respective fields, we can develop unparalleled applications for the wireless environment."
Zed Alliances
Fodors.com will enable zed users to find up-to-date reviews
and information about hotels in 1,390 cities throughout the
United States. Designed for people on the move, Fodors.com
will provide quick access and save valuable time by putting
detailed hotel information and planning tools in the zed users
hand from anywhere in the world.
Vicinity BrandFinder(TM) and MapBlast!(R) wireless
applications, to be offered with zed's services, will allow
users to access the most accurate, up-to-date location
information on their favorite brands, merchants and service
providers, as well as find driving directions to and from
virtually anywhere in the United States.
zagat.com will offer zed users access to its world-renowned
ratings and restaurant reviews directly from their wireless
phones. zagat.com will help zed users find the best choice of
restaurants according to their personal needs, allowing them
to search by location, cuisine and rating.
zed will be providing direct links to the 1-800-TAXICAB
nationwide taxicab network so that zed users will be able to
quickly and easily order a cab without having to navigate
through a yellow-pages search. With the touch of a button, zed
users can be patched through to a quality, local taxicab
company to get their ride right away.
About Sonera zed
zed is a global pioneer in personalized intelligent services for wireless devices combining the best features of mobile communications and the Internet. zed was conceived, designed and built to support and promote true mobility in both consumer and corporate environments. The range of zed services turns the wireless device into a communications, information and mobile commerce tool. Currently zed services are available in WAP and SMS environments, with the ability to expand the services into future technologies, GPRS and UMTS. At the end of June 2000, zed had over 700,000 monthly users out of Sonera's 2.2 million GSM customers in Finland. Of these active zed customers, 30% had registered at zed's Finnish website in order to personalize their services. Sonera zed ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonera Corporation (HEX: SRA, NASDAQ: SNRA, www.sonera.com), an international forerunner in mobile communications as well as mobile and Internet based services and applications. zed's US headquarters are in Boston, MA, with global headquarters in the UK. More information on zed can be found at zed.com.
About Fodors.com
Fodors.com, the premier online travel information planning site, derives its editorial content from Fodor's Travel Publications, including the best-selling Gold Guide series, comprehensive guides to top destinations worldwide. Fodor's LLC is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's largest media companies. Fodors.com is located in New York City and web users can access the site at fodors.com.
About Vicinity
Vicinity Corporation (Nasdaq: VCNT) is the leading provider of infrastructure services for the Global 2000 on Internet and wireless platforms.
About Zagat Survey
Zagat Survey is the world's premier provider of consumer survey-based dining, lodging and leisure information. Over 125,000 voters participate in Zagat's annual Surveys. Zagat offers content in book form, on the Internet at www.zagat.com, on Palm Pilot OS and on mobile phones at mobile.zagat.com. Besides restaurant guides available in 45 major markets, Zagat offers surveys covering airlines, car rental companies, hotels, resorts, spas, nightclubs, and a host of other entertainment and shopping resources. Zagat Survey is a privately held corporation founded by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979, and backed by leading investors such as General Atlantic Partners; Kleiner, Perkins Caufield & Byers; and Allen & Company. For more information, visit zagat.com.
About 1-800-TAXICAB
1-800-TAXICAB, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, provides passengers across North America with immediate access to ground transportation vehicles through its easy-to-remember toll-free number, web portal, and digitally connected wireless devices. For more information, visit 1800taxicab.com.
CONTACT: Hill and Knowlton, Inc.
Raymond Yeung/Meghan Butler, 212/885-0300
ryeung@hillandknowlton.com
or
Sonera zed u.s. inc.
Eija Hautaniemi, 877/947-4933
eija.hautaniemi@sonera.com
nasdaq.com
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 10/10/2000 7:19:24 AM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera to Deploy Ericsson's IP Backbone for Next Generation Internet
Business Wire - October 10, 2000 07:00
STOCKHOLM, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 10, 2000--Today, Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERICY) and Sonera Carrier Networks in Finland, announced they have signed a contract for Ericsson to supply increased IP backbone capacity to Sonera. Sonera will deploy Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network (PBN), including their AXI 580 IP Backbone Routers.
This agreement builds on recent contracts announced in June for Ericsson to provide Sonera with their PBN platforms, including AXI 520 IP Backbone Routers and an optical trunk DWDM networking solution in central Europe via Denmark, Sweden and Finland from where Sonera's network continues on to Moscow.
"We chose Ericsson for our IP-optimized core network because of its ability to provide solutions with carrier-class quality, superior performance and advanced QoS features," said Mikko Jokinen, technology director of Sonera Carrier Networks. "These are key factors, critical to helping us meet the current and future demands of rapid IP traffic growth and in creating new services and testing new ideas."
Ericsson's large-scale AXI 580 IP backbone routers and services will allow Sonera Carrier Networks to significantly increase the bandwidth of their network and to provide IP backbone capacity and transport services to its carrier customers. By deploying Ericsson's PBN solutions, Sonera is prepared for the continued rapid growth of Internet traffic, which will be increasingly driven by the demand for mobile Internet services.
"Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network and ERION(TM) DWDM optical solutions together will form an important portion of the core of Sonera's next generation network architecture," said Mike Thurk, executive vice president of Ericsson's Data Backbone and Optical Networks division. "In addition to supporting Sonera's service operator business, our solutions will help to differentiate Sonera's new carrier network business. The partnership with Sonera demonstrates that Ericsson is committed to enabling the emerging carriers' carrier market with solutions and services integration designed for their needs."
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 ericsson.com
CONTACT: Ericsson
Kathy Egan, Vice President, Communications
or
Gary Pinkham, Vice President, Investor Relations
212 685-4030
hoovershbn.newsalert.com
/Joar |
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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 10/11/2000 4:04:11 PM | | From: Joar | | | | 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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| To: AmericanVoter who started this subject | 10/23/2000 11:00:46 AM | | From: Joar | | | | Sonera 3Q: marked profit and sales growth
Sonera mobiles 9-mo op profit EUR 295 mln
HELSINKI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Finland's largest telecom operator Sonera <SRA1V.HE><SNRA.O> on Monday gave the following key divisional January-September figures (million euros unless stated):
2000 1999
Jan-Sept Jan-Sept
Net sales
- Mobile communications 818 708
- Media and New Services 145 104
- Fixed network voice and data 426 415
- Equipment sales and other 108 111
Total sales 1,497 1,338
Operating profit
- Mobile communications 295 258
- Media and New Services -204 -34
- Fixed network voice and data 113 64
- Equipment sales and other 20 -3
Total operating profit 1,739 285
((Helsinki newsroom, +358-9-680 50 244, fax +358-9-680 2284, news@reuters.fi))
REUTERS
Rtr 05:26 10-23-00
nasdaq.com
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