FINLAND, June 26, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) -- Nokia has signed a contract with Finland's third nationwide mobile operator Finnish 2 G, for the delivery of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) infrastructure which will bring Internet-based services to their subscribers.
As WAP becomes an exciting means to deliver more diverse content to a growing number of mobile phone users, Nokia will provide a range of WAP and mobile messaging equipment from the Nokia Artus product family, to enable Finnish 2 G to deliver new Internet-based services to their customers.
Nokia will supply its Nokia Artus Messaging Platform which serves as a WAP gateway for mobile networks. This deal will also see the delivery of the Nokia Artus SMS Center to cater for the introduction of short message services as well as the Nokia Artus Messaging Platform and Picture Messaging Application.
"We chose Nokia as the supplier of WAP and messaging solutions, as now we can get full end-to- end solutions for the creation of these services from a single source. Our aim is to offer to our customers innovative and attractive Mobile Internet services from the beginning," said Mr. Seppo Hanninen, Managing Director of Finnish 2 G.
"Nokia is delighted to be chosen by Finnish 2 G as their supplier of WAP and messaging solutions. Finnish 2 G, together with Finnish 3 G is also strongly committed to third generation mobile communications, in which versatility of services is key to success. Therefore it is extremely important to start developing these services at an early stage," stated Mr. Juhani Koivula, Area General Manager for Nokia Networks.
Finnish 2 G and 3 G are Finland's newest operators. Finnish 2 G Ltd was granted a license to operate the third digital cellular network in Finland in January this year. The company has been founded by 12 regional, private companies of the Finnet Group. The same companies, together with NetCom AB, Sweden, own Finnish 3 G Ltd, to which the government granted a license for third generation mobile networks in March 1999. Finnish 2 G and is now owned by altogether 36 Finnish local operators who already today own and run mobile networks in their areas. The Finnish 2 G nationwide GSM network is currently under construction.
Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. Nokia is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks including related services. It also supplies multimedia terminals and computer displays. In 1999, net sales totaled EUR 13.3 billion (USD 15.7 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 56 000 people.
Note to editors:
Nokia Artus Messaging Platform acts as gateway between information and applications on the Internet and a mobile phone, allowing information on the Internet, such as news or stock quotes to be accessed in seconds. The Nokia Artus Messaging Platform also makes it possible to access Web applications such as games or e-commerce.
Nokia's comprehensive range of WAP infrastructure is based on open standards and platforms, which enables the creation of feature-rich secure WAP services addressing both the consumers and business segment.
Nokia can offer operators what few others in the industry can; a complete end to-end WAP solution, including WAP gateways, portals, mobile terminals, browsers, tools for WAP-based content creation and delivery, end-user application platforms, and systems integration services. In addition to infrastructure, Nokia Professional Services provides comprehensive service solutions for planning, deploying, managing, and enhancing WAP solutions.