September 7, 2000

ABB wins US$ 150-million network infrastructure order in Australia

Zurich, Switzerland, September 7, 2000 - ABB, the global technology company, said today it has won a US$150-million order to design, maintain and upgrade the Telecommunications Access Network in five of Australia’s States and territories. The order was placed by Telstra, Australia’s largest data and telecommunications company.
Under the terms of the contract, ABB will be responsible for design and installations covering broadband field services, cross connect units, jointing, CAN (Copper Access Network) electronics, new estates work, pre-provisioning, network maintenance and optical fiber work. The project is expected to begin in October 2000 and run for three years.

ABB has a strong track record in the installation and service of both fixed and wireless telecommunications infrastructure. The company has already won two contracts to install base stations for the wireless GSM market in Australia and has undertaken similar projects in the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and elsewhere in Europe.

Last week, ABB announced that it is part of a consortium applying for a license to develop the third-generation UMTS wireless broadband telecommunications infrastructure for Sweden. The company has also built Internet stations (POPs, or Points of Presence) in Europe, as well as fixed telecoms networks for companies such as Microsoft in Germany.

The ABB Group (www.abb.com) serves customers in power transmission and distribution; automation; oil, gas, and petrochemicals; building technologies; and in financial services. With novel IT applications, tailored software solutions, growing eBusiness and a fast-expanding knowledge and service base, ABB is building links to the new economy. The ABB Group employs about 160,000 people in more than 100 countries. (END)

Original Press Release at ABB.com