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Siemens Signs Twentieth UMTS Sales Agreement Mobile Communication Group
at Siemens Achieves a Positive Result after Three Years: Third Largest Supplier
of Mobile Networks - Nr. 4 Position Worldwide in Mobile Phones
MUNICH, Apr 8, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Being established three years ago, Siemens Information and Communication Mobile (Siemens mobile) sees its position as a leading global mobile communication supplier confirmed. With almost 12 percent market share Siemens is in third place worldwide across all standards (analog, TDMA, CDMA, and GSM) in the area of mobile networks. Furthermore, Siemens has increased its worldwide mobile phones market share and holds a number 4 position - four years ago Siemens was only on place 8. The 3G business has also developed successfully: the Austrian fixed and mobile network operator tele.ring has commissioned Siemens to supply UMTS network technology - the twentieth UMTS sales agreement for the company. With an aggressive product and regional strategy Siemens plans to continue its road to success despite challenging market conditions.
Siemens' approach is based on GSM, the de facto global standard for mobile telecommunication now offered in all five continents with more than 824 million users and a market share of almost 70 percent. With around 12 percent of the market, Siemens is in third place worldwide across all standards (analog, TDMA, CDMA, and GSM) in the area of mobile networks - within the GSM infrastructure market the company has a share of 17 percent. It has also further reinforced its market position as a leading infrastructure supplier in the area of 3G/UMTS, which evolved from GSM and has already supplied more than 9000 UMTS base stations to date. It provides UMTS networks for the largest European markets, serving carriers in the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.
Successes in the fast-developing markets of Asia and of North and Latin America have enabled Siemens to continue making up ground under worldwide challenging market conditions. In the major Chinese market Siemens is anticipating an additional growth driver from the forthcoming award of licenses for the 3rd generation mobile radio systems, which include the UMTS technologies W-CDMA and TD-SCDMA offered by Siemens. In the USA, Siemens managed to double its share of the market for GSM mobile phones within one year. With a total of what will soon be eleven models, Siemens offers one of the widest ranges of GSM mobiles available in the US market. Business in Latin America is also very promising: Mobile phone production in Manaus, Brazil, is in full swing: over a million mobiles were made there for the local domestic market in 2002 - twice what was originally planned. Siemens is already a clear market leader in GSM phones in Brazil. Having added two new models to its product range, it now offers the widest GSM portfolio in the country. Siemens is aiming for a 25 percent share of the Latin American market by 2004 and a place among the region's top three GSM suppliers.
Siemens wants to revitalize the mobile handset market by addressing virtually all market segments in the GSM domain: Including the recently presented devices, there will soon be a total of over 30 models - from a voice-oriented mobile phone to a multimedia-enabled smartphone. Siemens is aiming to win new customer groups with a reduced emphasis on purely technical specifications and a stronger focus on design as a differentiating feature. In line with this strategy, with the "Xelibri" brand the company has recently started serving a newly created segment in the European and Asian markets where the mobile phone will become a fashion accessory. Worldwide, Siemens holds a number 4 position in the mobile phones market across all standards - in Europe the company is on place 2.
"We're very satisfied with what's been achieved over the last three years, but we want to continue growing and breathe new life into the mobile communication market. That's why in the future we'll also be acting as a proactive partner of mobile radio operators and a consultant, not merely as a supplier," said Rudi Lamprecht, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG. "Our close collaboration should impact particularly on the expansion of data services such as Messaging, Entertainment, Payment, Location, and Multimedia Services."
A photograph for this press release is available for downloading at:
http://www.siemens.com/icm-pictures/icm200304061
The Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group (Siemens mobile) offers the complete range of mobile solutions including mobile devices, infrastructure and applications. Devices include mobile phones, wireless modules, mobile organizers and cordless phones as well as products for wireless home networks. The infrastructure portfolio includes GSM, GPRS and 3G mobile network technologies from base stations and switching systems to intelligent networks, e.g. for prepaid services. Mobile Applications cover end-to-end solutions for Messaging, Location Based Services or Mobile Payment. For fiscal 2002 (September 30), Siemens mobile recorded sales of EUR 11 billion and employed approximately 28.600 people worldwide.
You can access further information about Siemens mobile on the Internet at
http://www.siemens-mobile.com
You can access press releases, photographs and further information on the Internet at:
http://www.siemens-mobile.com/press
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on beliefs of Siemens' management. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "forecast," "expect," "intend," "plan," "should," and "project" are used to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results to be materially different, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance of new products or services and changes in business strategy. Actual results may vary materially from those projected here. Siemens does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.


CONTACT: Siemens AG Information and Communication Mobile Florian Kreutz Tel.: [phone]; Fax: -53484 E-mail: [e-mail]: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
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KEYWORD: GERMANY INTERNATIONAL EUROPEINDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOURCE: Siemens