N.E.T. and Ericsson Sign Global Service Agreement - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Oct 25, 1999

N.E.T. Wednesday announced it has signed a global service agreement with Ericsson Enterprise Systems to support N.E.T. products within the large and growing installed base of Ericsson accounts. This frame agreement provides Ericsson with rapid resolution of high-level product issues for N.E.T.'s current and the last prior releases of operating software and firmware. It also provides Ericsson staff with worldwide access to N.E.T.'s comprehensive documentation through N.E.T.'s Web-based electronic support center. The global service and support contract is effective immediately. N.E.T. has sold more than 3500 IDNX and Promina nodes through Ericsson in its 10 year-old relationship.

Under the terms of the agreement, first and second tier service calls will be managed in the customer's local country by Ericsson with support from N.E.T., subject to local contract. When third level service is necessary, issues will be escalated through Ericsson's global support centers. Ericsson will then manage the resolution through N.E.T.'s global Technical Assistance Centers (TAC). This agreement alleviates the burden on local country resources for high levels of service and support, and offers overall improved performance for the customer.

"Our global service agreement with Ericsson is a win-win situation for both companies, fostering growth on the product sales side and prompting improved support of Ericsson's installed base of N.E.T. products," said Bert Whyte, president and CEO at N.E.T. "World Class Service leads to more satisfied customers, which directly correlates to improved customer loyalty. We anticipate our sales organizations will take full advantage of this renewed and re-energized partnership."

"This agreement provides a framework for our country organizations to put in place local service agreements with N.E.T. The result will be better support for in-country staff through access to product documentation and a known path to escalate issues as necessary," said Gunnar Wranne, Vice President Business Development, Ericsson Enterprise Systems. "This agreement enables our in-country staff to be more responsive and provide better overall service for customers."

Ericsson is a leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers -- network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers -- the world over.

Network Equipment Technologies, Inc. (N.E.T.), headquartered in Fremont, Calif., is a leading worldwide supplier of multiservice wide area networks used by service providers, government organizations and enterprises in more than 75 countries. N.E.T. multiservice WANs and ATM products integrate voice, data, and video traffic with ATM, frame relay, IP and ISDN capabilities. The company is certified to the worldwide ISO 9001 standard for design, manufacturing and service. Join N.E.T. at the first address in networking: http://www.net.com for further information.