If to enter into Nordic communications agreement with Telenor

The agreement, which is of a three-year duration, includes fixed and mobile telephony, data communications and customer relations solutions for If's approximately 6,800 employees.

The agreement with Telenor forms part of If's new outsourcing model, in which the company's IT management is carried out on a Nordic level. In addition to communications, the model also involves management of servers, user support and graphic services.

"As part of our goal of creating a Nordic company, we have developed a pan-Nordic IT solution. With its Nordic focus, Telenor has shown a great understanding of our business challenges and was able to offer us a Nordic solution that will ensure substantial synergies and cost savings," said Kjell Rune Tveita, head of IT management at If.

"A growing number of companies are now becoming aware of the scale advantages that can be achieved by managing data and telecommunications services on a Nordic level. If's strategy is completely in line with Telenor's goal of being a Nordic, rather than a national, organisation, capable of offering joint services to the whole Nordic region," said Executive Vice President Morten Karlsen Sørby, head of Telenor's activities in the Nordic countries.

In Finland, Telenor cooperates with telecommunications provider Elisa. Telenor's supplies to If will commence this autumn, and the contract period lasts until the first quarter of 2008.

For more information, please contact:

Arild S. Johannessen, head of information Telenor Nordic
Tel: +47 481 91 921, e-mail: arild.johannesen@telenor.com

Ulf Bäckman, head of information If Sweden
Tel: +46 8 788 15 47, e-mail: ulf.backman@if.se