Ericsson to Supply WCDMA/HSPA Network Equipment to Elisa in Finland

Ericsson announced it has been selected by Elisa, the largest wireless operator in Finland, to supply the mobile carrier with WCDMA/HSPA network equipment. Under the terms of the agreement, Ericsson will supply a number of radio base stations that will nearly double the coverage and capacity of Elisa's existing WCDMA/HSPA network.

The two companies estimate that by the end of the year, more than 120 towns and cities in Finland will benefit from wireless 3G coverage. The current agreement between Elisa and Ericsson follows a successful pilot conducted earlier this year. The contract also covers support services, deployment, integration and educational services.

"We have seen a dramatic increase in the demand for 3G services in Finland. According to recent surveys, Internet, e-mail, maps and local services are soon to be found in every pocket," stated Veli-Matti Mattila, President and CEO of Elisa. "We must be able to offer 3G solutions that are easy to use and help day-to-day living. Our decision to provide flat-rate mobile services reinforces our commitment to Elisa and Saunalahti customers. Ericsson's technology will help us achieve that goal."

A vital part of the WCDMA evolution, Ericsson's HSPA is a combination of HSDPA in the downlink and Enhanced Uplink in the uplink, both of which are specified in 3GPP Release 5/6. HSPA can reach data rates up to 14 Mbps in the downlink and 5.8 Mbps in the uplink. The technology provides higher performance and improves end-user experience for web access, file download/upload, VoIP and streaming services.

"We are proud to be selected by Elisa to expand its HSPA radio network, and in this way contribute to bringing faster mobile broadband to a greater number of Finnish consumers," said Janne Laitala, President of Ericsson Finland. "This contract further emphasizes Ericsson's leadership in broadband."

The newly announced contract is a direct result of the continuously growing interest manifested by Finnish consumers for 3G services over the past year. Since March 2006, Finland has known an increase in 3G technology usage larger than any other European country.

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