TDE.L Regulatory News (TDE)

6 Feb 2007 12:00

Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, A.S.06 February 2007 Press release O2TV has 20,000 customers! Date: 6. 2. 2007 Interest in the new and unique fixed-line television service is massive: atpresent, over 20,000 subscribers have jumped on board and newly sent ordersfurther confirm huge interest in the service! Telefonica Telefonica O2 CzechRepublic, the country's first integrated operator, introduced the one-of-a-kindservice under the name O2TV on September 1, 2006. For the first time in theCzech Republic, the fixed line became synonymous not only with voice andInternet services, but also with entertainment in the forms of television andfilm. It provides customers with hundreds of films and a vast selection ofchannels and radio stations from both local and world famous entertainmentstudios and television and radio networks. "Interest among customers in O2TV has exceeded all of our expectations. Afteronly five months of operation, over 20,000 customers have ordered O2TV. O2 TVcustomers have quickly learned that fixed lines are not only about making phonecalls or connecting to the Internet with high speed ADSL, but also about havingthe best in televised entertainment and movies at their command. No otherprovider of communications in the Czech Republic offer this level of servicesand richness in features," stated Andrei Torriani, Chief Marketing Officer,Telefonica O2 Czech Republic. Over the last few months, O2 has prepared a number of new features to make theservice more attractive to its customers. These are: Increasing the contents of the TV Archive - in co-operation with Sony Picture TVInternational Customers that activate O2TV get more than access to films, television channels,and radio stations. The service also provides them with other benefits. One ofthem is the TV Archive, a virtual video rental shop, where customers can choosefrom a wide selection of films, fairy tales, and documentaries. "On February 1,2007, Telefonica O2 became the first operator in the Czech Republic to startcooperating with renowned Hollywood movie studio Sony Picture TelevisionInternational. The three-year contract that we signed provides us with access toa catalogue with over 2,000 titles. With O2TV, customers will be able to watchevery title that Sony Picture Television presents in the Czech Republic incinemas or video distribution," added Torriani. Self-installation package In order to initiate the service, O2TV subscribers simply need a modem and aset-top box connected to a normal television set. Service installation is sosimple that even less technically proficient subscribers can manage it. Based ona customer survey, a self-installation package is also now available - that is,instructions on how to activate the service and all related information that isrequired for installation. Those interested can set up the O2TV servicethemselves, in accordance with the aforementioned instructions, and do not haveto wait for a professional to install it. O2TV service coverage When the service was launched in September 2006, O2TV was accessible on over onemillion fixed telephone lines in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Olomouc, Pilsen,Liberec, Ceske Budejovice, and many other district towns. Five months after itslaunch, this number increased to 2 million homes that use fixed lines in CzechRepublic. TV Archives The TV Archives service, which is available to all O2TV customers free ofcharge, also has some new features. Since September 11, 2006, customers canaccess the archives of CT1, CT2, CT4 Sport, and CT24 to watch shows broadcast upto seven days previously. Since the end of October 2006, the TV Archives havealso included programs broadcast on Prima. For more information, please contact:MARTIN ZABKASpokespersontel: + 420 271 463 359fax: + 420 271 469 896e-mail: public.relations.cz@o2.com http://www.cz.o2.com/ About Telefonica O2 Czech Republic Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, a.s., is the first integrated operator in theCzech Republic formed on 1 July 2006 by the merger of the leading fixed lineoperator, CESKY TELECOM, a.s., and the strongest mobile operator, Eurotel Praha,spol. s r.o., into a single telecommunications organization. The organization isnow operating nearly eight million lines, both fixed and mobile, making it oneof the world's leading providers of fully converged services. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic offers the most comprehensive portfolio of voiceand data services in this country. A special attention is paid to theexploitation of the growth potential, in particular the data and Internetbusiness. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic operates the largest fixed and mobilenetwork including a unique 3rd generation network, CDMA (for data) and UMTS,enabling the transport of voice, data and video. Furthermore, Telefonica O2Czech Republic offers the largest network of WiFi hotspots in the country. About Telefonica O2 Europe Telefonica O2 Europe comprises mobile network operators in the UK and Ireland,along with integrated fixed/mobile businesses in Germany and the Czech Republic- all of which use 'O2' as their consumer brand. The company recently won amobile licence in Slovakia, where it plans to launch service in 2007.Telefonica O2 Europe also owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunkjoint venture businesses in the UK and Germany respectively as well as having100% ownership of Be, a leading UK fixed broadband provider. In addition, thegroup includes the Isle of Man fixed/mobile operator, Manx Telecom, and O2Airwave, which supplies secure digital communications to the emergency servicesand other public safety organisations. Telefonica O2 Europe, part of the Telefonica group, is headquartered in Slough,UK, and has more than 37 million mobile and fixed customers. About Telefonica Telefonica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world interms of market capitalisation. Its activities are centred mainly on fixed andmobile telephony, with broadband as the key tool for the development of both. The company has a significant presence in 23 countries and a customer base of196 million worldwide. Telefonica is a 100% listed company, with in excess of 1.5 million directshareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4,921,130,397 ordinaryshares traded on the Spanish Stock Market (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao andValencia) and on those in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, New York, Lima,Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange