Cisco and B2 Announce Strategic Partnership
Cisco Chosen as Preferred SupplierStockholm, November 24, 1999 - Bredbandsbolaget (B2), a new Swedish telecommunications company specialising in the provision of broadband technology to the home and Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced they have signed an agreement to become strategic partners.
The partnership represents a major contract win for Cisco and enables B2 and Cisco to deliver high speed Internet access services to more than half a million households in Sweden.
B2 and Cisco will work together to develop a range of new broadband services for the home, including voice over IP. Cisco and B2 will also collaborate on design infrastructure, management support and joint marketing initiatives.
The partnership will provide B2 with significant additional resources and the benefit of Cisco's extensive commercial expertise. The boards of Cisco and B2 believe that the agreement will leave B2 well placed to exploit the potential of broadband in the home, both in Sweden and across Europe.
Peter Ekelund, Chief Executive Officer of B2, said: "Today we have entered into a strategic partnership with Cisco, one of the largest and most respected companies in the world. With the increased strength and wealth of commercial expertise the partnership brings, I am even more confident that B2 will be able to bring the benefits of broadband to consumers as quickly as possible."
Theo Wegbrans, Vice President of Cisco Northern Region EMEA, said: "This contract is testament to the continuing impact the Internet is having on people and businesses across Europe. This partnership couples Cisco's strength in IP technology with B2's ability to deliver broadband services to the home, allowing both companies to take advantage of the burgeoning Internet opportunity in Europe. As a leader in Internet innovation, Cisco is delighted to be B2's strategic partner of choice for this contract."
Bredbandsbolaget (B2)
B2 specialises in the provision of two-way broadband services in Sweden. It was established in the summer of 1998 to fill a gap in the supply of Internet subscriptions available to private persons and households. B2 was set up by Internet consultant Framtidsfabriken. B2's other shareholders include Intel, the Carlyle Group, Investor and Novestra. Its web site can be found at www.bredband.com.
Broadband in Sweden
The telecommunications market in Sweden is the most liberalised in Europe. The country is therefore set to gain huge economic and social benefits from the development of this new broadband technology. Bredbandsbolaget is a pioneer in providing low-cost broadband connections to consumers. The company uses inexpensive but powerful technology, developed primarily for local networks for companies, so-called LAN (Local Area Networks). Many cities in Scandinavia have already built LAN. This makes true broadband affordable to individual homes. This technology is less complicated and less expensive than traditional telecommunication technology from telephone operators, offering consumers better performance by at least ten times.
B2 has signed letter of intents or closed deals with more than half a million households in Sweden. However, residential demand for broadband services currently far outstrips supply. B2 now hopes to [reduce/ eliminate] waiting time. [how will this work?]
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