Wireless Industry leaders Nokia, Siemens and AXIS Communications join the HERMES Partnership's Industrial Advisory Board

The HERMES Partnership today announced that AXIS Communications, Nokia and Siemens have joined as members of the HERMES Partnership's Industrial Advisory Board.

This Industrial Advisory Board advises the HERMES Partnership on strategic decisions, in particular the strategic directions of the research programmes and the advanced educational curriculum.
The members of the Industrial Advisory Board have a preferential access to the world class, state of the art research and training competence and capacity available through the Partnership, facilitating the initiation of bilateral and open research projects on next generation wireless systems.

The HERMES Partnership is a network of leading independent telecom research centers in Europe, and represents a virtual center of competence with a strong focus on wireless communications, including personal area networks, high speed local area networks, cellular systems and satellite communications and positioning. It brings together more than 500 highly skilled researchers from various disciplines.

To establish strategic relationships with major industrial players in the field of telecommunications is an important goal of the HERMES Partnership; hence it has established its Industrial Advisory Board.

The HERMES Partnership is a business association according to Swiss Law, with its correspondence seat at IMEC vzw in Leuven, Belgium.

For further information about the HERMES Partnership, please visit this page:
www.hermes-europe.org

Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.

For further information about Nokia, please visit this web page:
www.nokia.com

The Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group (IC Mobile) offers the complete range of mobile solutions including mobile devices, infrastructure and applications. Devices include mobile phones, wireless modules, mobile organizers, cordless and corded phones as well as products for wireless home networks. The infrastructure portfolio includes the complete range of mobile network technologies from base stations and switching systems to intelligent networks, e.g. for prepaid services. Applications cover services for Unified Messaging, Location Based Services, and Mobile Payment. For the fiscal year 2000 (which ended September 30, 2000), IC Mobile recorded sales of EUR 9 billion and EBIT of EUR758 million. The group employs 27,450 employees worldwide.

For further information about SIEMENS IC Mobile, please visit this web page:
www.siemens-mobile.de/mobile

The AXIS Communications Group, with the parent company AXIS AB, is a leader in network connectivity and emerging wireless Internet based services. The company is at the forefront of developing network appliance solutions. Axis is one of the global leaders in several key thin server and network device markets, such as printer, storage and video connectivity, and is doing pioneering work in the rapidly expanding markets of wireless and mobile communications.
Founded in 1984, AXIS is headquartered in Lund, Sweden and is a publicly traded company on the Stockholm Exchange's O-list.

For further information about AXIS Communications, please visit this web page:
www.axis.com

Further information:

NOKIA Corporate Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34459;
Fax +358 7180 38226
Email: communications.corporate@nokia.com
www.nokia.com

SIEMENS
Press Office Information and Communication Mobile Networks
Mr. Christian Hoenicke
81359 Munich
Tel. +49 89 722-53910;
Fax +49 89 722-44780
Email: christian.hoenicke@icn.siemens.de
www.siemens-mobile.de/mobile

AXIS Communications
Dr. Bengt-Arne Molin
Tel. +46 46 2721806
Fax: +46 46 136130
Email: bengt-arne.molin@axis.com
www.axis.com

HERMES Partnership
Prof. Ramjee Prasad, Steering Committee Chairman
Mr. Cees J.M. Lanting, Partnership Manager
Tel. +32 475 845 260
Fax: +32 16 281 515
Email: cees.lanting@hermes-europe.org
www.hermes-europe.org