Unaxis Chooses Equant's Adaptive VPN Solution; A Cost-Effective, Flex

Unaxis Chooses Equant's Adaptive VPN Solution; A Cost-Effective, Flexible Solution Representing a New Step in Unaxis' Communication Infrastructure

    Business Editors

    PARIS & ZURICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 2005--Equant (NYSE: ENT) (Euronext Paris: EQU) has signed a 3-year, multimillion Dollar Adaptive VPN solution contract with Unaxis Group, a global leader in providing production systems, components and services for high-technology products based on core competencies in thin-film and vacuum technology.
    Based in Pfaffikon, Switzerland, Unaxis is already using Equant's IP VPN service to link its production and distribution companies in 22 countries in Asia, Europe and North America and to offer remote access to its employees. This new Adaptive VPN solution contract represents an advancement in Unaxis' communications infrastructure.
    Unaxis needed a fully-managed and flexible VPN solution that would grow with its business, enabling it to enter new markets quickly and affordably. Thanks to unmatched access flexibility, via DSL and Ethernet accesses for instance, Equant's Adaptive VPN is able to provide different access modes depending on each site's specificities. The Adaptive VPN solution designed for Unaxis enables network optimization and meets the flexibility criteria requested by Unaxis. With Adaptive VPN, Unaxis realized that Equant has the most creative offer, the best approach and the ability to execute its plan.
    Unaxis will take advantage of the main components of Equant's Adaptive VPN solution:

--	Integration of diverse Wide Area Network options. Unaxis benefits from the best possible Wide Area Network strategy regardless of its requirements and locations.
--	Unmatched access flexibility. Equant provides full access diversity to optimize network and costs.
--	Seamless management of the Local Area Network. Unaxis has the option to integrate and manage LANs seamlessly.
--	Value-added services. Equant's professional services and consulting teams work with Unaxis to create the best possible solution based on the company's specific criteria.

    "This deal is first of all the result of the high degree of confidence in Equant we developed and reinforced during our past collaboration," said Winfried Richartz, chief information officer of Unaxis. "Further, Equant was able to change the scope and perspective of the project and presented the most creative solution."
    In parallel to Equant's contract with Unaxis, Perfect IT, a subsidiary of Unaxis, became one of Equant's SAP service providers and an Equant channel partner in Switzerland. The partnership with Perfect IT complements Equant's existing relationship with Unaxis and will enhance the value and flexibility of joint activities between the two companies.
    "We are very proud to provide an Adaptive VPN solution to a leading high-tech company such as Unaxis," said Philippe Koebel, Equant's senior vice president of Sales and Marketing, Europe, Middle East and Africa. "Equant's Adaptive VPN is a new approach to answer the unique needs of our customers by designing customized adaptive solutions, encompassing transport, access and managed services right up to the application layer. This is truly an on-demand solution matching the most appropriate network technologies to their business requirements."

    About Unaxis

    Unaxis (SWX: UNAX) is a globally leading provider of production systems, components, and services for high-technology products based on core competencies in thin-film and vacuum technology. Unaxis' commercial activities center on high-growth sectors such as protective coatings for precision tools and components (Coating Services), systems for producing vacuum and conveying process gases (Vacuum Solutions), production systems for data storage devices (Data Storage Solutions), optical components (Optics), and aerospace technology (Space Technology). Unaxis also deploys its core competencies as a major provider of semiconductor technology (Semiconductor Equipment). Unaxis currently employs approximately 6,500 individuals and, in its 2003 financial year, achieved sales of CHF 1,610 million. The company, headquartered in Pfaffikon SZ, Switzerland, has a globe-spanning infrastructure that encompasses centers of competency for research, development, and production in Europe, Asia, and the USA, as well as 80 subsidiaries in 25 countries.

    About Equant

    Equant (NYSE: ENT) (Euronext Paris: EQU) is a recognized industry leader in global communications services for multinational businesses. Equant combines its network expertise with its expanded services capabilities to provide global, integrated and customized communication services to enable its customers' key business processes. Equant serves thousands of the world's top companies, with the industry's most extensive portfolio of communications services and network solutions, including the market-leading IP VPN used by nearly 1,300 global businesses. Equant, a subsidiary of France Telecom, consistently leads industry surveys in corporate user satisfaction.
    This release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements related to Equant that involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that these statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future results or events. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Equant with the SEC, specifically the most recent filing on SEC Form 20-F, which identifies important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including, among other things, risks relating to our history of operating losses, the unpredictability of growth in our industry, the fact that the interests of France Telecom, our largest shareholder, may differ from the interests of our other shareholders, changing technology, uncertain and changing regulatory restrictions, currency fluctuations, dependence on suppliers, network security issues, intense competition in our industry and volatility of our stock price. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to Equant on the date hereof, and Equant assumes no obligation to update such statements.

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CONTACT: Equant Media Relations Global and Europe Frederic Gielec +33 1 46 46 2189 frederic.gielec@equant.com or North and Latin America Elizabeth Mayeri +1 212 251 2086 elizabeth.mayeri@equant.com or Asia Pacific Lydia Tan +65 6335 6885 lydia.tan@equant.com or Online Pressroom www.equant.com/press or France Telecom Press Office Cathy Excoffier + 33 1 44 44 93 93 cathy.excoffier@francetelecom.com or Equant Investor Relations Ashley Rayfield +44 208 321 4581 ashley.rayfield@equant.com or France Isabelle Guibert +33 1 46 46 99 53 isabelle.guibert@equant.com

KEYWORD: FRANCE SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE SOFTWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Equant

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