STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 18, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Song Networks Holding AB's (Stockholmsborsen:SONW) announces today that the Norwegian subsidiary has entered into an agreement with UNINETT for the supply of telephony services to the Norwegian university and polytechnic sector. The contract extends for four years and has a value of around NOK 100 million.
The agreement includes fixed line telephony solutions for all universities and state run artistic and scientific polytechnics in Norway, a total of 38 institutions with around 75,000 users.
Song Networks won the contract despite strong competition from several larger telephony suppliers in Norway. Seven companies had tendered for the contract when UNINETT and the universities began work on a new telephony agreement earlier this year.
"This is first and foremost about price. But it is also very exciting working with a completely new supplier, says UNINETT's CEO Petter Kongshaug. The agreement will also contribute to further competition in the Norwegian telecom market, which our customers will also benefit from, he adds. UNINETT sees the advantages of working with a smaller and more agile player. Song Networks has shown flexibility in the process leading up to an agreement, and gives the impression of having good customer solutions which can be adapted to our requirements," said Petter Kongshaug.
"This is one of the really big agreements for Song Networks within telephony in Norway. We understand UNINETT's requirements well and with our strategy of providing the best prices in relation to performance, we will show that Song Networks is a strong and effective cooperative partner for large and quality orientated clients within telephony," said Ketil Kivedahl, Managing Director in Song Networks AS in Norway.
For information, please contact:
Song Networks AS UNINETT Ketil Kivedahl, Managing Director Petter Kongshaug, CEO Tel: +47 21 50 24 50 Mobile: +47 917 58 883 Mobile: +47 400 00 450 E-mail: E-mail: petter.kongshaug@uninett.no ketil.kivedahl@songnetworks.no
About Song Networks (Stockholmsborsen: SONW)
Song Networks is a data and telecommunications operator with activities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. The Company's business concept is to offer the best broadband solution for data communication, Internet and voice to businesses in the Nordic region. The Company was founded in 1995 in Sweden and has approximately 830 employees. The head office is located in Stockholm and the Company has 21 offices located in the Nordic region. www.songnetworks.net
About UNINETT
UNINETT supplies advanced Internet to research and education and has responsibility for the development, operation, co-ordination and standardisation of network solutions. UNINETT is owned by the Ministry of Education and Research. The group consists of a parent company, UNINETT AS, and three subsidiaries. The subsidiaries are UNINETTABC AS which supports the Norwegian school sector with the development of stable and reliable network solutions, UNINETT FAS AS which develops and operates joint administration systems for universities and polytechnics, and UNINETT Norid AS which is a registration unit for the .no domain. The parent company, UNINETT AS, develops and operates the Norwegian research network, which links together Norwegian educational and research institutions and connects them into an international network. The UNINETT group is one of Norway's most advanced network environments and has international activity both via research projects and standardisation work in IETF. In addition to the 57 permanent employees, there are a considerable number of students and professionals from the entire university and polytechnic sector at any time connected to the company through project related work. Total sales in 2002 were NOK 135 million. www.uninett.no
Certain statements contained in this press release contain "forward- looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities law. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of Song Networks Holding AB only, and performance is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, adverse regulatory, technological or competitive developments; decline in demand for the company's services or products; inability to timely develop, introduce and market new technologies, products and services; pricing pressures resulting from competition; unforeseen construction delays; and the inability to successfully manage systems failures or shutdowns and service interruptions or reduced services to customers.
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