Ericsson's Estonian operation Wednesday launched a unit for third generation mobile network planning that will be designing new networks primarily for the international market.

Ericsson's Estonian operation Wednesday launched a unit for third generation mobile network planning that will be designing new networks primarily for the international market. Ericsson Estonia's third generation mobile network planning unit will start work with a staff of 10 but the firm intends to hire 10 new workers as soon as December to develop the 3G field. Ericsson Estonia's communication networks planning department thus far employed seven specialists who have designed GSM and DECT networks in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Spain, as well as in Congo, Kenya, Angola, Morocco and other countries. Ericsson is the world's leading supplier of third generation mobile communication systems. The concern has won more than 70 percent of the contracts in this field worldwide. Ericsson Estonia's sales totaled 283 million kroons (USD 15.17 mln) and profit was 17.6 million kroons in 1999.