www.elisa.com

Today Elisa opened its 3G network for commercial use and, as the first supplier in Finland to do so, is offering the new Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS data card, which is connected to portable computers. Due to the new network technology the ease of use, familiar to broadband, is now wireless. With the data card, customers, especially corporate customers, can immediately utilise the network effectively.

Elisa's third generation mobile communications network and the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS data card create a powerful package that enables improved mobile working. With the easily connectable card and portable computers the utility services of the operation environment can be used wirelessly and effectively. The card has a simple Finnish user interface for forming a remote connection and for controlled usage of necessary programs. The data card is already widely used elsewhere in Europe and works seamlessly between 3G and GPRS networks.

Due to faster data communication connections the speed of opening e-mail messages with attachments and the usage of wireless Internet, for example, is increased considerably. Using the 3G network costs Elisa customers the same as using services in the 2G network.

"It is important to Elisa that our customers can easily utilise fast communication connections both with phones and portable computers. We have opened the 3G network as a basic service to all mobile phone customers. Therefore, they do not have to change SIM cards to use the new fast connections," says Executive Vice President Pasi Lehmus.

The 3G network is supplied to Elisa by Nokia. In addition to network technology co-operation, Elisa and Nokia are developing together new combinations of mobile phones and services both for corporate and private customers. At the moment Elisa is, for example, producing a configuration service that is based on a Nokia solution. With the service the utilisation of mobile services becomes easier than ever. Also, the mobile phone packages tailored for corporate customers are a central part of the co-operation between Elisa and Nokia.

"3G enables corporations to use solutions that can facilitate and diversify the utilisation of mobile phones. For example, the effective utilisation of mobile data and multimedia support the business of corporations and create a significant competitive advantage," says Nokia's Chief Technology Officer Pertti Korhonen.

Elisa's 3G network has wide coverage in the following locations: Espoo, Helsinki, Joensuu, Kuopio, Oulu, Salo, Tampere, Turku, Vaasa and Vantaa. The network also works at a limited level in several other locations, and according to expansion plans the network will cover over 30 locations by 2005.

Elisa develops third generation services in co-operation with IT technology service provider Fujitsu Services Oy. Today Elisa has released a partnership agreement with Fujitsu concerning wide-scale co-operation in IT data communications services.