ELISA CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE 30 AUGUST 2005 AT 1.00pm
ELISA TO DEVELOP
THE SAUNALAHTI BRAND
Elisa announced in July that it would make a public
tender offer for all
Saunalahti shares. The tender offer period began on 23
August 2005. The deal is
subject to approval by the Finnish Competition
Authority. Shareowners holding
altogether over 50 per cent of the Saunalahti
shares have agreed to the tender
offer.
"Elisa has decided to keep the
active and agile Saunalahti brand, and to further
develop it. We will outline
and publish more precise plans on Elisa and
Saunalahti's merger when the deal
has been realized," says Veli-Matti Mattila,
Elisa's CEO.
"Over half a
million Finns have already chosen Saunalahti, a forerunner like
Elisa. We want
to keep and develop those strengths based on which the customers
have chosen
Saunalahti," Mattila explains.
"We aim at improving our competitiveness.
Services will catch up with price as a
decisive factor in competition.
Together Elisa and Saunalahti will be able to
offer customers better and more
versatile services. The Saunalahti deal is in
line with Elisa's strategy,"
Mattila continues.
ELISA CORPORATION
Velipekka Nummikoski
Vice
President, Corporate Communications
For further information, please
contact:
Veli-Matti Mattila, CEO, tel. +358 102622635
Hannu Laakso,
Executive Vice President, Marketing, tel. +358
501919
Distribution:
Helsinki Stock Exchange
Major media