NEWS

Divestment of Ascom Payphones

Ascom has received an irrevocable offer for its Business Unit Payphones with locations in France and Mexico.

In the context of focusing on its core activities as communicated in November 2007, Ascom has received an irrevocable offer for its Payphones Business Unit.

Duons MCO, a subsidiary of the French Vallée Group domiciled in Paris, made an irrevocable offer to purchase the French subsidiary Ascom SAS containing the operating assets of the payphones activities and 16 employees in France. The irrevocable offer includes also the Mexican subsidiary Ascom de Mexico S.A. de C.V. with 17 employees. Ascom Holding (France) SA will reply to Duons’ offer after having completed the consultation of its employees’ representatives in accordance with French labor laws. The closing of the transaction is expected to take place until the end of the year.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction would lead to a book loss of a single digit million CHF amount for the Ascom Group.

“With this transaction, Ascom has found a sound solution for its Payphones Business which takes into account the interest of the customers and the employees. In case of a successful closing, we will have completed the divestment program, as announced in November 2007, on time” says Riet Cadonau, CEO of Ascom.

The Business Unit Payphones achieved a revenue of CHF 7.3 Million in the first half year 2008.

ABOUT ASCOM
Ascom is an international solution provider with comprehensive technological know-how in Mission-Critical Communication. The company focuses on the areas of Wireless Solutions (high-value, customer-specific on-site communications solutions) and Network Testing (a global market leader in testing and optimization solutions for mobile networks). The company is headquartered in Switzerland, has subsidiaries in 17 countries and a workforce of some 1,900 employees worldwide. Ascom registered shares (symbol ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich (Switzerland).

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