STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan. 31, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- In its press release dated January 30, 2002, PTS, The Swedish National Post and Telecom Agency, outlined its decision to order Telia to reduce its termination tariffs as of March 1, 2002. This press release contains misleading information about Europolitan Vodafone, stating that the company has not reduced its interconnect tariffs since 1999.
In reality, Europolitan Vodafone has made substantial cuts to its interconnect tariffs, leading to a reduction of over 20% since 1999. In spite of the fact that PTS has access to this information, PTS published inaccurate details in its press release that could prove damaging to the entire mobile industry in Sweden.
PTS also published misleadingly incomplete details in another press release dated as recently as January 18, 2002 concerning PTS's general advice on the issue of "significant market power" in the Swedish telecom market, causing considerable market concern.
Europolitan Vodafone is a mobile operator with a license to build 3G mobile telecoms networks. Our strength lies in our focus on developing international services, service and quality. Europolitan Vodafone employs some 1,500 people and is listed on the Attract 40 list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The company's majority owner is Vodafone of the U.K., with 71 per cent of Europolitan Holdings AB. Private shareholders, investment companies and pension funds own the remaining 29 per cent. Vodafone is represented on five continents and has more than 200 million mobile telecoms users. In April 2002, Europolitan Vodafone will change brand to Vodafone, www.europolitan.se/ and www.vodafone.com/
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