Ericsson launches spare parts management service with TMIB in Bangladesh

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has launched spare parts management services (SPMS) to support TM International Bangladesh’s (TMIB) mobile network. The deal marks Ericsson’s first SPMS contract in Bangladesh, and will help boost operational efficiencies, revenue and network performance.

Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide TMIB with high-level hardware support for routine as well emergency maintenance. Ericsson will also take over the responsibility of the spare parts and provide TMIB with first-line local support, enabling immediate response to the customer’s needs.

Ericsson’s SPMS will reduce TMIB’s investment in spare parts, helping to improve cash flow, and reduce expenditure associated with spare parts inventories. SPMS also helps maintain high network performance, increasing revenue and reducing churn.

Jefri Ahmad Tambi, Chief Executive Officer of TMIB, says: “Ericsson’s spare parts management service will help us serve our customers more efficiently through smoother network operations. This is in line with our vision to be a leader as a telecommunication service provider in Bangladesh.”

Arun Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson Bangladesh, says: “This is an important milestone for Ericsson Bangladesh. This contract extends our long-running partnership with TMIB and underlines Ericsson’s global strength in delivering spare parts management services with accuracy and speed.”

SPMS is part of Ericsson’s Professional Services offering. Ericsson’s support services secure that networks in more than 140 countries can deliver both preventative and corrective services to more than one billion users worldwide.

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 195 million subscribers. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed-network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of ’communication for all’ through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of USD 27.9 billion (SEK 188 billion) in 2007. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and NASDAQ.

For more information, visit www.ericsson.com or www.ericsson.mobi.

About TMIB
TM International Bangladesh (TMIB), which operates under the brand AKTEL, is one of the leading telecommunications service providers in Bangladesh with about eight million mobile-phone users. It is a joint venture between TM International Sdn Bhd (70 percent) and AK Khan & Co. (30 percent). The AK Khan Group recently completed the sale of its entire shareholding of 30 percent in TMIB to NTT DoCoMo. The company operates GSM 900 and 1800 cellular services under a 15-year license granted in November 1996.