Information
Aastra Technologies is in advanced negotiations with EADS
to acquire its Enterprise Telephony Business
Paris / Toronto, November 10, 2004 – As EADS strategic focus is to further
develop its European large system integrator business in Defence, the
company has decided to find a capable successor for its Enterprise
Telephony Business, with a strong customer focus and operating experience
in the Private Branch eXchange (PBX) and Telephony over Internet Protocol
(ToIP) market.
EADS and Aastra are in advanced negotiations on a project for the
acquisition by Aastra of EADS Enterprise Telephony Business. Once the
consultation period with the official employee representative bodies of EADS
has been completed, EADS and Aastra intend to enter into an agreement
whereby Aastra will purchase the EADS Enterprise Telephony Business. This
business generated approximately €170 million revenues in its last complete
fiscal year ended December 2003. The net cash consideration at closing
could be approximately €72.5 million (subject to customary closing
adjustments).
The EADS Enterprise Telephony Business is a global provider of convergent
communication systems and networks for Enterprise based on leading
technologies such as IP telephony, multimedia call centers and applications.
EADS Enterprise Telephony Business is the European number 5 and the
French number 2 in the convergent enterprise telephony sector, with 7% and
30% respective market shares. EADS also holds a leading position on the very
large contact centers and campus market in the United States of America.
“We are confident that Aastra is the ideal telecom focused partner to ensure
the long-term development of EADS Telephony over IP, which would
certainly reinforce the outstanding technology and quality of service delivered
to all our customers” said Michel Fouques, CEO of EADS Telecom.
The acquisition would allow Aastra Technologies Limited to continue with
its strategy of expanding its activities in the enterprise communications
market following the purchase in 2003 of the PBX division of ASCOM
Holdings AG. “Once completed, this acquisition would be extremely
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complementary to our existing business in terms of technology platforms,
geographic markets and employee competencies” said Tony Shen, President
of Aastra.
“In addition to enhancing our current focus on the small-to-medium enterprise
(“SME”) segment of the PBX / Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) market, we
would be able to expand our product offerings to include proven
technological platforms for larger enterprise and call center applications” said
Francis Shen, Chairman and CEO of Aastra.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2003 EADS,
generated revenues of € 30.1 billion and employed a workforce of about 109,000. The EADS
Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier
Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the second largest missile producer in the global
market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for
the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest
industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo. For more information
EADS, visit our Web site at www.eads.com or www.eads-telecom.com
Aastra Technologies Limited (TSX: “AAH”), headquartered in Concord, Ontario, Canada,
develops and markets products and systems for accessing communication networks.
Aastra’s products include a full range of residential and business telephone terminals,
Enterprise Private Branch Exchanges (PBX), network access servers and high quality digital
video gateways. Aastra serves the majority of telephone companies and certain cable
operators and broadcasters in North America and Europe, with a growing presence in South
America and Asia. For more information on Aastra, visit our Web site at
http://www.aastra.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Forward-looking statements include statements of plans, objectives, strategies and
expectations. The words ”intend”, “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate” and “expect” and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The results or events
predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors
which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations are included in the
reports filed by Aastra with securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Aastra disclaims any
intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The Toronto Stock Exchange has not approved nor disapproved of the information contained
in this statement.

Press contacts:
Allan Brett, CFO + 1 905-760-4160
Aastra abrett@aastra.com
Sandrine Quinton +33 (0)1.34.60.79.01 / +33 (0)6.85.74.44.82
EADS DCS sandrine.quinton@eads.com
Michael Meissner +49 (0)89 607 34 850 / +49 (0)173 92 37 827
EADS DCS michael.meissner@eads.com