Ericsson Lands Sri Lanka, U.K. Deals

Communications Today, March 7, 2003

Ericsson's [Nasdaq: ERICY] turnaround efforts are buttressed by contracts to upgrade a Sri Lanka mobile network and to deploy 5,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots in the United Kingdom. Inspired Broadcast Networks, a subsidiary of U.K. coinoperated entertainment terminal provider LLG, has digital entertainment platform installed in more than 3,000 locations. Ericsson will equip the terminals with public hotspot capabilities using DSL to backhaul traffic.

The Swedish company will be the sole supplier of infrastructure for Sri Lanaka carrier Mobitel's migration from TDMA to GSM 1800 and to GPRS. The GSM/GPRS network will be rolled out in three phases, with initial installations scheduled to begin in the second quarter. Ericsson also is supplying services including business consulting and initial network design and installation, and will support Mobitel in developing, deploying and marketing voice and data services for the Sri Lanka market.

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