STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb. 26 -- Ericsson has signed a long-term, $163 million ENGINE agreement to modernize Egypt's National Telecommunications Network in the next five years. In addition to expanding access, Ericsson has agreed to accelerate the migration of the core backbone network from a circuit-switched to an open-layered packet-based mega network. ENGINE is Ericsson's global multiservice network offering for network operators, designed for real-time services; a carrier-class network able to carry large and growing volumes of IP-based traffic. ENGINE efficiently builds new and migrates operators' current circuit-switched networks into a single next generation network, based on ATM and IP packet switching technologies. "Egypt has proven to be one of the fast growing markets in the important and prosperous region of Middle East and Africa," said Mats Granryd, President of Ericsson Egypt Ltd.