NEW YORK and STOCKHOLM, Sweden, July 24, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Tele2 AB ("Tele2") (Nasdaq:TLTOA) (Nasdaq:TLTOB) (Stockholm:TEL2A) (Stockholm:TEL2B), the leading alternative pan-European telecommunications company, today announced that it has acquired a GSM 900 licence in the Republic of Udmurtia, Russia, in addition to its existing GSM 1800 license.
The GSM 900 license will be used together with Tele2's existing GSM 1800 license in the region and allows Tele2 to implement GSM services more cost efficiently in the city of Izhevsk and its environs. This continues the expansion of Tele2's GSM capability in Russia. In 2003, Tele2 has launched GSM operations in Irkutsk, Rostov, St. Petersburg and the Kemerovo region.
The Republic of Udmurtia in Russia has a population of 1.6 million and is located in the Western part of the Middle Urals, approximately 1,300 kilometers East of Moscow.
Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, CEO of Tele2 said; "The acquisition of this GSM license continues our policy of developing Tele2's GSM capability in the fast growing Russian cellular market."
Tele2 AB, formed in 1993, is the leading alternative pan-European telecommunications company offering fixed and mobile telephony, data network and Internet services under the brands Tele2, Tango and Comviq to over 17.7 million people in 22 countries. Tele2 operates Datametrix, which specializes in systems integration, 3C Communications, providing integrated credit card processing, web payment solutions and public payphones; Transac, providing billing and transaction processing service; C(3), offering co-branded pre-paid calling cards and Optimal Telecom, the price-guaranteed residential router device. The Group offers cable television services and, together with MTG, owns the Internet portal Everyday.com. The Company is listed on the Stockholmsborsen, under TEL2A and TEL2B, and on the Nasdaq Stock Market under TLTOA and TLTOB.
CONTACTS
Lars-Johan Jarnheimer Telephone: + 46 8 562 640 00 President and CEO, Tele2 AB Andrew Best/ Dwayne Taylor Telephone: + 44 20 7321 5010 Investor enquiries
Visit us at our homepage: http://www.Tele2.com
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