News of another Nokia Siemens wins with mobile services for AinaCom. Then again, AinaCom is in Finland. Could we envision anyone else winning this?

Nokia Siemens Networks to help AinaCom launch mobile services rapidly

Espoo, Finland – June 11, 2007

Nokia Siemens Networks has won a managed services contract to run AinaCom’s mobile core and service platforms, enabling the ICT and media group to launch new end-user services more rapidly and reliably with less risk. The service, which is scheduled to begin in June 2007, includes 24-hour network monitoring.

Aina Group, a Finnish ICT and media group that is active in print, radio, cable TV and the telecommunication sector, has expanded its own mobile service portfolio. The new managed services agreement means that Nokia Siemens Networks will take care of operating and maintenance services of all platforms. The contract includes remote monitoring and troubleshooting via the network operation center. AinaCom has its own mobile core network equipment and is buying radio network capacity from other Finnish mobile operators. This full mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model gives freedom for AinaCom to set up its own mobile services.

The contract extends an existing service contract between AinaCom and Nokia Siemens Networks and will enable Aina Group to introduce the new service quicker and keep services up and running for their customers.

Kari Tavisalo, Director of AinaCom, said: “The key factor in our decision on a managed services partner was that Nokia Siemens Networks could bring our mobile service to market as quickly as possible without us having to build up our own operations expertise. Moreover, we can eliminate technological risks, because we have agreed service levels, including the maximum time needed for error elimination. We also want to reach scale benefits by using Nokia Siemens Networks’ global services.”

José Costa e Silva, head of the Services Business Unit at Nokia Siemens Networks, said: “The fact that we can provide the services necessary for operation in addition to supplying the infrastructure plays a major role for our customers. It allows them to minimize their investment requirement and concentrate fully on customer acquisition and business development.”

Nokia Siemens Networks has 20 years’ experience in managed services for fixed and mobile networks, plus unrivalled technical, engineering and operational know-how.
The company is one of the largest providers in this market with more than 160 combined managed services contracts worldwide, serving more than 130 million subscribers globally. Nokia Siemens Networks has a proven multivendor experience and Fixed-Mobile-Convergence competence and offers the most extensive portfolio of services and solutions that can help operators win new business opportunities through higher efficiency and novel ways to generate new revenue.

About Aina Group
Aina Group specializes in consumer and business communication solutions with two business areas: media and ICT. Hämeen Sanomat Oy and its subsidiaries specialize in media, and AinaCom Oyj focuses on the ICT business. In 2006, Group sales totalled EUR 97.0 million and the average number of employees (full-time equivalents) was 612. The parent company of the Group is Aina Group Oyj.
www.ainagroup.fi

About Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide. The combined pro-forma net sales of €17.1 billion in fiscal year 2006 make Nokia Siemens Networks one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies. Nokia Siemens Networks has operations in some 150 countries and is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. It combines Nokia’s Networks Business Group and the carrier related businesses of Siemens Communications.
www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com