Ericsson Inc of Richardson, Texas is celebrating after it installed the first AXE exchange with US West’s Mountain Bell unit in Idaho – it comprises a host switch in Twin Falls and a remote switch serving customers in Eden and Hazelton – and is the first step in the company’s modernisation programme to replace 52 electromechanical exchanges over the next five years: the first AXE to provide Class 5 service in North America began operation November 14 in Canon City, Colorado, followed by Idaho, and Ericsson has since announced contracts with Nynex, Southwestern Bell and BellSouth for Class 5, and has a general purchase pact with US West Material Resources acting for Mountain, Pacific Northwest and Northwestern Bells.
