Press release 

11/25/2009 

Kapsch CarrierCom to acquire Nortel’s GSM business for EMEA and Taiwan and Nortel’s GSM-R business globally 

Kapsch CarrierCom yesterday was announced as winning bidder in the auction process initiated by Nortel for substantially all of the Carrier Networks division of Nortel relating to the GSM business in EMEA and Taiwan and the global GSM-R business. The purchase is structured as an asset sale with a cash purchase price of USD 33 million on a cash and debt free basis, subject to adjustments. The transaction is subject to court approvals in the U.S. and Canada, which will be sought at a joint hearing on December 2, 2009, and in France as well as regulatory approvals and certain other customary closing conditions.

Kapsch CarrierCom submitted a joint bid with Ericsson. Under the agreement, Ericsson will acquire substantially all of Nortel’s GSM business in North America. Kapsch CarrierCom will purchase substantially all of the remaining global GSM business and the global GSM-R business, taking over approximately 330 employees from Nortel.

"We have worked closely with Nortel in the GSM/GSM-R business for more than 20 years. This acquisition transforms Kapsch CarrierCom from a regional player to the global market leader in GSM-R", said Thomas Schöpf, COO of Kapsch CarrierCom.

"The combined businesses will provide a strong international platform for our enhanced global business strategy", Ingolf Planer, CFO of Kapsch CarrierCom added.

Latham & Watkins is acting as Kapsch CarrierComs’s legal advisor on this transaction.


Kapsch CarrierCom is a global manufacturer and independent system integrator of telecommunication solutions for railway operators and providers of access, core and transmission networks. In seven R&D centers in Europe and Asia, Kapsch CarrierCom develops applications and services for next generation networks and innovative OSS/BSS solutions. In addition, Kapsch CarrierCom provides an end-to-end service spectrum, which ranges from consulting, designing, installing and integrating, to maintaining, operating and supporting entire networks.
With 70,000 track-kilometers covered by GSM-R, Kapsch CarrierCom is an internationally recognized specialist and partner for railway operators such as the French railway RFF, the German railway DB and Network Rail in the United Kingdom. In the public operator segment, Kapsch CarrierCom’s customers include service providers such as the companies of the Telekom Austria Group and Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan. Kapsch CarrierCom is part of the Kapsch Group and has its headquarters in Vienna.

For further information please contact:

Hans-Georg Mayer
Head of Products & Solutions PR, press officer
Kapsch AG
Am Europlatz 2, 1120 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 50811 1706
E-Mail: hans-georg.mayer@kapsch.net

Brigitte Herdlicka
Sponsoring
Kapsch AG
Am Europlatz 2, 1120 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 50811 1710
E-Mail: brigitte.herdlicka@kapsch.net