13 June, 2007
Fonecta acquires the directory business of Mikkelin Puhelin Oyj

Fonecta Oy and Mikkelin Puhelin Oyj, which is part of the Finnet Group, have concluded a business deal under which Mikkelin Puhelin Oyj has sold its printed telephone directory business to Fonecta. The object of the agreement was Mikkelin Puhelin's share of the telephone directory for the Mikkeli number area and the local Oma Osa telephone directory published by Mikkelin Puhelin.

“The deal concluded is consistent with the trend that has taken place in the sector during recent years where telecommunications companies sell their directories. Telephone directories are Fonecta's core business. We believe it will continue to be a strong and developing media, in which we wish to continue to invest," says Fonecta's CEO Heikki Jämsänen.

“The printed directories business in Finland is consolidating and it is coming under totally different competition than before. Since our Group's commercial challenges are increasingly moving towards broadband and ICT services, it is natural for us to give up our directory business. Fonecta will continue to be an important partner for us in providing directory services,” says Jarmo Matilainen, managing director of Mikkelin Puhelin Oyj.

The deal will not affect customers. Fonecta will publish the telephone directory for the Mikkeli numbering area that will be published in January 2008 in close cooperation with Mikkelin Puhelin. The directory will be sent out by post to every household in the 015 area code.

The printed telephone directory is the most popular directory service in Finland. Every year, it reaches approximately 3.5 million Finnish people, i.e. 77% of the population. Fonecta's telephone directory in the Mikkeli numbering area has 27,000 separate weekly users. (Sources: TNS Atlas 1–12/2006 and the Atlas Telephone Directory 01/2007, TNS Gallup Oy.) The first telephone directory was published in Mikkeli in 1889 and in Savonlinna in 1893.

The telephone directory for the Mikkeli numbering area is part of the series of regional telephone directories published every year by Fonecta and the Finnet Group. There are a total of 16 regional directories, and together they cover the whole of Finland.

Fonecta Oy is Finland 's most popular company providing contact details and is the sector's market leader. Fonecta's services are used to search for contact details over 1.5 million times every day. In 2006, the Fonecta Group's turnover was over EUR 150 million. Currently, the company employs around 900 people in nine locations in Finland.

Mikkelin Puhelin Oyj is a company in the ICT sector operating in the South Savo area and is part of the nationwide Finnet Group. Together with its subsidiaries, it provides its customers with comprehensive landline, cable television data and mobile services. The MPY Group's turnover in 2006 was EUR 22 million and the Group has 128 employees.

For further information, please contact:

Fonecta Oy, CEO Heikki Jämsänen, telephone +358 (0)20 442 2100, www.fonecta.fi

Mikkelin Puhelin Oy, managing director Jarmo Matilainen, telephone +358 (0)15 190 200, +358 (0)440 190 200, www.mpy.fi

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