Nortel (Northern Telecom) to Expand Romania's First GSM Network

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Nortel (Northern Telecom) to Expand Romania's First GSM Network

    CONNEX GSM Service to Reach 80 Percent of Population by Year-End

    BUCHAREST, Romania, May 14 /PRNewswire/ - CONNEX GSM, Romania's first
national GSM 900 network, will rapidly expand coverage using Nortel (Northern
Telecom) GSM equipment under terms of a three-year supply agreement signed
today.
    The agreement with MobilFon S.A., operator of the CONNEX GSM network,
includes complete GSM radio equipment, operations and maintenance systems as
well as support and installation services for network expansion to the
country's highways and major cities.
    ``CONNEX GSM is very pleased to have the opportunity to work with
Nortel,'' said Jean Tripier, senior vice-president, network and systems,
CONNEX GSM. ``The introduction of Nortel equipment into the CONNEX GSM
network, through the tender we organized in the beginning of the year, will
benefit our customers. CONNEX GSM is currently implementing the first batch of
Nortel equipment which will be in service by June.''
    With more than 160,000 users to date, CONNEX GSM is the first company in
Romania to offer state-of-the-art digital mobile telephony. Initially expected
to have 25,000 users by the end of 1997, CONNEX GSM welcomed its 100,000th
customer in December.
    ``We have ambitious 1998 objectives, and our team of highly trained
specialists is putting every effort into this project,'' said Doug Pratt,
vice-president, network, CONNEX GSM. ``The regional expansion of our network
is already a reality. We are working day and night to roll out CONNEX GSM's
radio network and to meet our aggressive deadlines. By the end of 1998, the
majority of the population of Romania will have access to our services. The
quality criteria are also a must since the Romanian customer will demand the
highest international standards.''
    MobiFon S.A. is a Romanian company 60 percent owned by Canadian operator
Telesystems International Wireless, and 10 percent owned by US based operator
AirTouch International. Other shareholders include Romanian Post and Logic
Telecom.
    This consortium blending North American know how and Romanian expertise
celebrated its first year in operation in mid-April. After the fastest GSM
launch in history - 135 days - CONNEX GSM now covers more than 120 localities
in Romania and over 60 percent of the population. Aggressive expansion plans
for 1998 include coverage for 80 percent of the population by year-end.

SOURCE Northern Telecom Limited

http://www.prnewswire.com or fax
at 800-758-5804, ext. 122158
CONTACT:
Batrice Germain, Nortel, +33 1 39 44 40 28,
beatrice.germain(at)nortel.com; Peter Janecek, Nortel, (905)
863-6251, peter.janecek(at)nortel.com; Mark Buford, Nortel, (972)
684-8512, mark.buford(at)nortel.com; Cristina Hanganu, CONNEX
GSM, +40-1-302-1985; Or visit Nortel's web-site at
http://www.nortel.com; Nortel's press releases are also available
through CNO-Call by fax at 800-758-5804, ext. 122158 or at
http://www.prnewswire.com
Web-site: http://www.nortel.com