Tele2 exits Finnish market due to "the current competitive and regulatory environment"; launches twelfth GSM network in Russia

August 22, 2005

1 Min Read

STOCKHOLM -- Tele2 AB, ("Tele2), (Stockholmsbörsen: TEL2A and TEL2B), the leading alternative pan-European telecommunications company, today announced that, based on the current competitive and regulatory environment in Finland, it has decided to discontinue its operations in Finland.

Tele2 intends to stop marketing its mobile and fixed telephony services in the Finnish market. In conjunction with this decision, the company has also decided to end the process regarding its 3G license in Finland. The administration of Tele2´s existing Finnish customers will be transferred to Sweden.

Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, CEO of Tele2 said; "Given the current market environment, we see better opportunities elsewhere. It is of course unfortunate that we need to end our operations in Finland, which began in 2000. However, we still are not able, for example, to sell local calls there. Given this situation, we have decided to end any further marketing investments in Finland.

In a separate release:

STOCKHOLM -- Tele2 AB, ("Tele2), (Stockholmsbörsen: TEL2A and TEL2B), the leading alternative pan-European telecommunications company, today announced that, following the acquisition of Votec Mobile in December 2004, it has launched a GSM network in the Voronezh region, its twelfth in Russia under the Tele2 brand.

The population covered by the GSM license in Voronezh is 2.4 million and the region´s mobile penetration is approximately 40%.

Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, CEO of Tele2 said; "The GSM launch in Voronezh in Southern Russia follows on from our 11 successful launches in 2003 and 2004. The Russian mobile market offers substantial growth potential for Tele2 and our previous launches in Russia show customers appreciate our service offerings.

Tele2 AB

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