-TELE2: Tele2 UK offers solution to M4 traffic congestion.

M2 PRESSWIRE-9 November 1998-TELE2: Tele2 UK offers solution to M4 traffic congestion (C)1994-98 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD RDATE:061198 With Tele2's Advanced Digital Wireless Technology, Commuters Can Be Pre-warned of Traffic Hot Spots With A Simple Click to the Internet Reading, UK, 5th November 1998, Tele2 UK, the new high-speed wireless data communications company, announced today that it has installed a web camera (Webcam) on the top of its base station (referred to as TANs - Tele2 Access Nodes) at Whitley, in Reading. Visitors to the Tele2 Website (www.tele2.co.uk/demo ) can take control of the camera and steer it to provide up-to-the-minute views of the surrounding area. A number of pre-set views are also provided, offering live coverage of Junction 11 on the M4 motorway, the busy A34 trunk road to the centre of Reading and the new Madejski Stadium. Anyone with an internet connection can use this to assess levels of traffic congestion before they leave their home or office! Webcams, sometimes know as Netcams, are digital cameras set to transmit the captured images across a connection to a web page. Traditionally, Webcams use a 'wired' connection, but in this instance Tele2's Webcam uses the company's innovative advanced digital wireless technology. The UK's First Steerable Public Webcam Launching what is thought to be the UK's first publicly steerable Webcam, Peter Scrope, Managing Director of Tele2 UK commented: "This is just one of the many applications our high speed and permanently connected, advanced digital wireless technology can provide. Over the next few months we'll be demonstrating other innovative ways our technology can be applied. The benefits of digital wireless Webcams are enormous; by linking cameras to movement detectors or other sensors, Tele2 technology can be used to help prevent crime, fire, or flood - or any situation that requires routine surveillance. In many cases, access to these cameras will be restricted so that the pictures are only available to nominated people. However, webcams can also be used for fun too - as a way to attract visitors to your Website, for instance." Unlike other Webcams, Tele2 cameras can be controlled by the viewer using their web link from the 'demo' pages on the Tele2 web site - www.tele2.co.uk. Users can pan, tilt and zoom the cameras in real-time and forward-plan their route to work, thus saving time and ultimately reducing traffic congestion in the Reading area. In order to control the Tele2 cameras, a user simply needs to register on the Tele2 Website for a password, which is available free of charge. Users keep control of the camera until another registered user enters the queue, at which point an alert to the first user is sent to notify that command will cease after 60 seconds. Registered users requesting control will be notified of their position in the queue. However, in this instance, everyone is able to view images from the camera being controlled by others, without registration. Tele2 connections, available today at 128, 256 and 384 kbps, are ideal for this type of application as they provide permanent, high speed connections which are faster and cheaper than ISDN. The Tele2 service does NOT incur call charges, with the lowest tariff at just GBP 65 per month for the combined internet and telco charges, it is also far cheaper than the high fixed costs required for a traditional leased line. The wireless nature of the connection greatly increases flexibility. Tele2 UK has already rolled out its core services - offering connection to the Internet and corporate Intranet - in the Thames Valley region (Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham areas). Using Tele2's unique Advanced Digital Wireless Network - believed to be the first data network of its kind in the world, - the Tele2 network provides businesses and homeworkers with a permanent high-speed connection to either the Internet or to a company Intranet, without the high costs of a Leased Line. The two services currently available from Tele2 UK are: Tele2 Internet Service and Tele2 Intranet Service. Both services use the Tele2 Advanced Digital Wireless Network, a highly secure, high speed data communications network, over which customers can send and receive any form of communication, whether it be voice, data, audio, video or fax. Faster and cheaper than ISDN, Tele2's services offer all the benefits of a Leased Line, such as permanent connectivity, but its unique pricing structure means that customers only pay when data is actually being transferred. There are no call charges. A phased National roll out of the Tele2 UK service is planned for 1999 and will reach 60 percent of the UK population by 2003. Tele2 will be providing additional publicly controllable web cams over the coming months. Tele2 UK Background Tele2 UK Ltd ("Tele2 UK") is a subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular S.A. ("MIC"), a leading developer and operator of cellular telephone services worldwide with 33 cellular operations in 20 countries. Tele2 UK is a Public Telecommunications Operator providing broadband wireless data communications services. Tele2 UK will offer faster and cheaper connections than ISDN, at up to 2 Megabits per second, which are used principally for high speed Internet access and Intranet services. These services are principally designed for small and medium sized businesses and small office/home office workers, initially in the Thames Valley region. National roll out of the Tele2 UK service is planned for 1999, and will reach 60% of the UK population by 2003. Millicom has a successful track record in the UK, having previously been a major shareholder of other UK ventures including Vodafone and Microtel (Orange). Tele2 UK was originally called Liberty Communications, and was renamed Tele2 UK in April 1997 to fall in line with Tele2 Europe S.A., which is part of a joint venture between MIC and Industriforvaltnings A.B. Kinnevik ("Kinnevik"). MIC is in a prime position to exploit advanced digital wireless technology on a global basis. Axis Background The AXIS 200+ Web Camera and 240 Camera Server is ideal for applications ranging from quality assurance to surveillance, remote alarm verification or Web attraction. The AXIS Camera Servers take advantage of existing networks for video transmission and do not require special software to install. It's plug-and-play installation saves administration time and eliminates the need to maintain surveillance systems separately from the network. The camera installs directly to the Ethernet network which can be connected to the Internet using Tele2's Advanced Digital Wireless network. Users then view the images via a standard Web browser. AXIS ThinServer Technology Is the Backbone Like all Axis products, the AXIS 200+ Web Camera and 240 Camera Server leverages Axis' own ThinServer Technology, which allows any peripheral device to be accessed and used by multiple clients using virtually any desktop and network operating system. At the core of ThinServer Technology is Axis' ETRAX processor. Unlike general-purpose processors, ETRAX is specifically designed for embedded network systems that place high demands on input/output performance while keeping system costs down CONTACT: Fiona Egan\Minnie McBride, Tele2 UK Press Office Tel: +44 (0)171 559 9660 Fax: +44 (0)171 559 3401 e-mail: pr@tele2.net.uk *M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.*