Ericsson brings HSDPA and IMS to Optimus in Portugal

Wednesday, March 22 2006, Optimus, a mobile operator within the Portuguese Sonaecom group, has chosen Ericsson’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) for the delivery of new multimedia and converged services. Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERICY) will also enhance the Optimus 3G network with its market-leading mobile softswitch and HSDPA solutions.

Optimus has taken an important step towards an all-IP network by enhancing its 2G/3G network with Ericsson’s mobile softswitch and IMS solutions. Ericsson’s IMS solution will enable Optimus to deliver a wide range of new multimedia services such as weShare, which allows users to share different media - including pictures and video clips - during a voice call. The solution will also reduce the costs of network ownership and shorten time-to-market when Optimus introduces new services.

Introduction of HSDPA into the Optimus network will allow the operator to offer high-speed mobile broadband to its customers, while more than doubling system capacity and shortening the response time for interactive services.

Luis Reis, Chief Operating Officer, Sonaecom, says: “This agreement provides us with the foundation for advanced and converged services, and enhances our customers’ communication experience. We believe mobile broadband services will have a strong uptake and HSDPA is a key enabler for making these services successful in a mass market context.”

Fatima Raimondi, President of Ericsson Portugal, is proud that Optimus has chosen Ericsson as a partner for its advanced network update. “The contract confirms our technology leadership and is further evidence of our long-standing partnership with Optimus. We are strongly committed to supporting its entrance into the mobile broadband arena.”

Ericsson was selected as the sole supplier for the Optimus core network and IMS network infrastructure, and as the main supplier of the radio network infrastructure.

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.

About Sonaecom
Created in 1994, Sonaecom adopted its current corporate name in 1999. Sonaecom is the sub-holding of the Sonae Group for the areas of elecommunications (Clix, Optimus and Novis), media (P=FAblico) and software and information systems (Enabler, WeDo, BizDirect and Mainroad). The company plays an active role in the integrated management of these business units, identifying and building on existing synergies and the company’s growth potential. Sonaecom’s main goal is to become the leader in the supply of integrated telecom services in Portugal. For more information please visit the website: www.sonae.com

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