STOCKHOLM, Sept. 24, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- After examining the proposed transaction, the European Commission today approved the TeliaSonera acquisition of Orange A/S from France Telecom. Following the acquisition, TeliaSonera, the leading telecommunications group in the Nordic-Baltic region, will have approximately 1.1 million mobile customers in Denmark. TeliaSonera will be a powerful alternative for the Danish telecommunications customers and a major contender for market leadership.
The acquisition was announced 8 July 2004 and the closing is expected to occur in October 2004.
Following closing, the process of integrating the two mobile telecom operations will commence. However, initially, no changes will be made in the existing customer relationships. Over the coming months, the products and services of both organizations will continue to be delivered under separate brands.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in the press release relating to future status or circumstances, including future performance and other trend projections are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to many factors, many of which are outside the control of TeliaSonera.
TeliaSonera is the leading telecommunications company in the Nordic and Baltic regions. At the end of December 2003 TeliaSonera had 11,957,000 mobile customers (37,610,000 incl associated companies) and 8,061,000 fixed customers (9,160,000 incl associated companies) and 1,631,000 internet customers (1,691,000 incl associated companies). Outside the home markets TeliaSonera has extensive interests in the growth markets in Russia, Turkey and Eurasia. TeliaSonera is listed on the Stockholm Exchange and the Helsinki Exchanges. Pro forma net sales January-December 2003 amounted to SEK 81.7 billion (EUR 9.01 billion). The number of employees was 26,694.
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http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/09/24/20040923BIT20750/wkr0001.pdf
-0- For further information journalists can contact: TeliaSonera's Press Office, +46-(0)8-713 58 30