TDE.L Regulatory News (TDE)

21 Sep 2007 09:00

Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, A.S.21 September 2007 Press release O2 TV celebrates 50,000 customers! Date: September 21, 2007 Interest in O2 TV digital television is extraordinary. This can be seen in thecontinuously growing number of customers who use this unique fixed-line digitaltelevision service. As confirmed by Telefonica O2 Czech Republic statistics, thenumber of subscribers has exceeded the 50,000 border. The service was launchedon the market on September 1, 2006, and merely a year later, it has proven thatto customers the fixed line is not only a symbol of voice and Internet services,but it also represents a source of televised and film entertainment. O2 TVoffers not only a broad range of television channels and radio stations, butalso hundreds of films, documentaries (even in 3D), serials, and fairy tales. Itrecently began presenting live broadcasts of O2 Extraliga hockey games, and ispreparing more exciting new features. "The massive interest that new and existing customers have shown in O2 TVpleases us a great deal. With innovative products like O2 Internet ADSL, O2 TVdigital television, and new convergent services in the form of packagescombining fixed and mobile calling, broadband Internet connections, andfixed-line television, we have succeeded in increasing the number of newactivations, and have thus reduced the decline in the field of fixed lines,"says Simon Burckhardt, Chief Marketing Officer for the Residential Segment,Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, adding, "For instance, for the pleasure of allfilm and sport fans, we recently expanded our channel package portfolio. We havealso closed agreements to co-operate with prominent Hollywood film studiosWarner Brothers and The Walt Disney Company, and have thus increased the numberof films being offered in the Videoteka considerably, so customers willcertainly never get bored with us." Expanded film catalogue in the Videoteka Since September 2007, Telefonica O2 has been working with two of Hollywood'sbiggest studios: The Walt Disney Company and Warner Brothers. Customers can thuslook forward to brand new films that both multinational companies have presentedin the Czech Republic in the cinema and through video distribution. The virtualvideo rental shop's offer will soon include, for instance, the fantasticanimated film Cars, the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End,the Oscar-winning animated title Happy Feet, the crime comedy Ocean's Thirteen,and the global smash Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. With access tothe film catalogues of both renowned studios, the Videoteka will expand byanother sixty films per year. Customers can look forward to such film hits as102 Dalmatians, Gone in 60 Seconds, Analyze That, and the Oscar-winning thrillerTraining Day. More channels for sport and film fans From September 1, 2007, the existing O2 TV channel packages were expanded withthe new basic channel package O2 TV Sport and two additional channel packages O2TV Sport plus and O2 TV Filmy plus. The new O2 TV Sport channel package isintended primarily for all sport fans. In addition to standard Czech channels,this package also includes Galaxie sport, Eurosport, Eurosport 2, Sport 1,Extreme Sports Channel, Motors TV, NASN, and ESPN Classic, as well as access tolive broadcasts of selected O2 Extraliga hockey games, and to the archive ofpast games. The monthly fee for this package is CZK 460 (CZK 547.40 includingVAT), or CZK 377 (CZK 448.60 including VAT) if the customer subscribes to O2Internet ADSL. The new additional program packages that customers can add totheir basic channel packages present the following channels: Sport 1, ExtremeSports Channel, Motors TV, NASN, and ESPN Classic for sport fans and CSFilm,Filmbox, Nonstop Kino, AXN Crime, a AXN Sci-Fi for film buffs. Both additionalpackages cost a mere CZK 126 (CZK 150 including VAT) each. O2 TV is even cheaper Customers who activate the basic channel packages O2 TV Zabava, O2 TV Kino, orthe new O2 TV Sport by October 31, 2007 receive a 50% discount off the monthlyfee for the first three months of service usage. As part of this offer,activation is a mere CZK 1 (CZK 1 incl. VAT). Unlike terrestrial digitalbroadcasting, customers do not have to buy the required set-top box; they canrent one for CZK 1.19 with VAT. They also pay one crown without VAT for themodem and for installation. Those who select the self-installation package alsoget two rentals from the Films category of the Videoteka (Video Library) for CZK1 (CZK 1.19 including VAT) each. And that is not all. Every new and existingcustomer that orders an additional channel package - O2 TV Sport plus, O2 TVFilmy plus, or O2 TV Extraliga plus - only pays a symbolic fee of one crown (CZK1.19 including VAT) for the first three months. Digitization and O2 TV Customers do not have to worry about switching to analogue broadcasting. With O2TV digital television, they receive all channels with the digital qualitypicture and sound to which they have become accustomed, and they also get dozensof other interesting channels. Today the O2 TV service covers 70% of the CzechRepublic. Unlike terrestrial digital broadcasting, customers do not need topurchase a set-top box - with O2 TV, they can rent one for CZK 1.19 with VAT permonth for a period of 24 months. For more information, please contact:MARTIN ZABKASpokespersontel: + 420 271 463 359e-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, Ireland andSlovakia, along with integrated fixed/mobile businesses in Germany and the CzechRepublic - all of which use 'O2' as their consumer brand. Telefonica O2 Europealso owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businessesin the UK and Germany respectively as well as having 100% ownership of Be, aleading UK fixed broadband provider. In addition, the group includes the Isleof Man fixed/mobile operator, Manx Telecom. Telefonica O2 Europe, part of the Telefonica group, is headquartered in Slough,UK, and has some 40 million mobile and fixed customers. About Telefonica Telefonica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world interms of market capitalization. Its activities are centered 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 ofmore than 212 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