PARIS -- BT announced today the signature of a 5-year contract with the Dutch electronics giant Philips to provide communication services in more than 40 countries in EMEA (Europe, Middle-East and Africa) as well as global data infrastructure and access services. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Under the terms of the contract, BT will handle the management of Philips’data transport services (MPLS based) within the EMEA region, together withvoice services, managed mobility and certain metropolitan area networkswithin the region.

BT will also be providing Philips with global data access servicesincluding security services, firewalls, remote access services, IP addressmanagement and DNS management as well as conferencing services and Philips’intercontinental data (MPLS based) infrastructure.

BT secured the contract with Philips against intense competition. DanielHartert, Philips’ Chief Information Officer, stated: “Both Philips and BTare leading technology companies and one of the deciding factors inchoosing BT included its ability to innovate - as demonstrated by the heavyinvestment it has made in its network and the overall efficiency of itssolutions -as well as its global reach”.

Royal Philips Electronics N.V. (NYSE: PHG; Amsterdam: PHI)