Ericsson sign Dutch services contract

April 3, 2006

Vodafone Netherlands and Ericsson announced they have entered into an exclusive managed services partnership. Under the contract, Ericsson will be responsible for the management of the access part of Vodafone Netherlands' GSM, GPRS and UMTS radio networks.

Under the contract, Ericsson will be responsible for engineering, implementation and operation of the access part of Vodafone Netherlands' GSM, GPRS and UMTS radio networks in the Netherlands. Vodafone Netherlands will retain ownership of the network and IT assets, as well as responsibility for the strategic direction of the network and IT infrastructure.

The five-year contract ensures Ericsson will operate radio access to the network to the highest standards, while enabling Vodafone Netherlands to manage and control its cost base, thereby enhancing the company's platform for growth.

John Samarron, CTO, Vodafone Netherlands, says: "By transferring responsibility and the existing resources for the access part of our network, we are convinced that we will be able to capture synergies with Ericsson and that the quality of our access network will be further improved. Moreover, the shift to a partnering model allows us to focus on additional elements of the value chain that will enable growth and new product introduction. It also brings yet another growth business to the region of South Limburg."

Hans Vestberg, Executive Vice President at Ericsson and Head of Business Unit Global Services, says: "We are very proud to be entrusted with operating the access part of Vodafone Netherlands' network and to be able to extend further our long-term relationship with this operator in one of our strategic growth areas."