Nokia powers SFR’s HSDPA network in France

June 14, 2006

Nokia supplies HSDPA as part of extended radio network contract

Espoo, Finland - French operator SFR has launched its High Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) network in Paris and Southern France. Nokia’s HSDPA solution allows SFR to operate its network more cost-efficiently and offer its customers data services at speeds of up to four times faster than current 3G speeds.

“We are committed to introducing broadband mobile data services to our customers. They will benefit from download data speeds up to 4 times faster than current speeds available, offering for the first time a mobile experience similar to current standard DSL rates. Streaming video is a superb example of the benefits that HSDPA will bring to consumers. Already last year we demonstrated HSDPA services such as high speed streaming video, music download and business applications together with Nokia, and now the service is available to our customers,” says Paul Corbel, Chief Technical Officer, SFR. “We are very satisfied with Nokia’s HSDPA solution and their support in enabling us to launch our HSDPA service in Paris and Southern France”.

“The Nokia HSDPA solution enables SFR to leverage their new mobile data opportunities and deliver exciting high-speed services to their customers, says Olivier de Percin, Account Director, Networks, Nokia. ”HSDPA users can clearly see how much faster the mobile data services, such as streaming video, are and how good the quality really is. Together with the new HSDPA Nseries devices, this HSDPA solution will bring to the mobile internet what PCs and broadband brought to the fixed internet and will widely enhance the consumer’s experiences in multimedia"

Nokia has delivered the HSDPA solution to SFR as part of a radio network contract extended in May 2006. Nokia uses it’s unique, multivendor Nokia NetAct(TM) network to ensure the quality of service for HSDPA and has provided managed services, consulting and integration services from its business solutions portfolio.

In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 59 customers to date. Nokia’s high-performing HSDPA is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling cost-effective and fast rollout. In the first phase, Nokia HSDPA offers up to four times faster data services than current 3G, and consequently enhanced quality of service experience. Nokia is a leader in the HSDPA market, with over 20 contracts globally.

About SFR
With 17.3 million customers and 8,000 employees, SFR is the second largest mobile telecommunications operator in France and has been the market leader in terms of net sales (new customers) since 2003. Operating its own GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks, SFR is able to provide a complete range of mobile telephony and multimedia services, as well as mobile data solutions to its personal, SOHO and business customers. SFR has become the operator of choice for new uses of mobile phones, having been the first operator to launch 3G and 3G+ services on the French market, and now boasts 1.5 million exclusively 3G customers. The company is also a player on the fixed telecommunications market through its 34,9 % interest in neuf cegetel, the leading alternative operator on the French market. SFR benefits from a stable ownership structure, with two major shareholders, Vivendi (56%) and Vodafone (44%).

About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.

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