TDE.L Regulatory News (TDE)

12 Sep 2006 09:00

Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, A.S.12 September 2006 Press release BlackBerry and Telefonica O2 Prague, September 12, 2006 Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, a.s., has introduced another product for businessclientele. The operator has been offering a mobile office solution from Researchin Motion, known under the name BlackBerry, since the beginning of the month.This technology, which enables remote access to email, intranet, and businessapplications, constitutes a professional solution for the most demandingcorporate customers. Their employees thus get the opportunity to accessimportant documents anywhere outside of their offices. The BlackBerry service is one of the world's most widespread standards forremote access and work with business applications. Its main advantage isautomatic synchronization with a selected email account, which assures the userof the opportunity to use electronic post in real time. In addition to beingable to read, send, archive, and transfer messages between folders, just likewith any client on a personal computer, the user can also work with attachments.That includes all commonly used file formats, such as pictures, PDF files, orMicrosoft Office documents. In every respect, however, BlackBerry is more thanjust an email client. Because Telefonica O2 is implementing the most up-to-dateversion of the service, labeled 4.1., for its customers, users can enjoy remoteaccess to, for instance, business applications on the intranet or enterprisesolutions from firms like SAP, Oracle, etc. For work and individual access, the customer uses a special device named theBlackBerry 8700, which combines a mobile telephone, Internet browser, andpersonal organizer. At present it is the most advanced business communicator onthe market and offers a huge variety of functions and parameters providing userswith maximum convenience while working in the field. Johnson&Johnson is the world's largest supplier of health products andtechnology. In order to provide comprehensive services in the field of healthcare, fast and reliable communication is important for the company as a whole. "I use BlackBerry primarily when I am on business trips. This service has spedup communication for us considerably. I am not forced to connect my computer tothe Internet and connect to the network remotely. I am able to use BlackBerry totake care of most of my communication needs while on business trips," says LiborLinhart, Regional IM Manager MD&D CEE of Johnson&Johnson, adding, "I wouldrecommend BlackBerry to everyone who spends a lot of time on business trips.There is nothing easier than managing email while waiting at the airport." The technical solution of this product is relatively simple. For company emailsand application services, the device connects through the BlackBerry EnterpriseServer (BES), which ensures communication between a company's internal networkand the mobile operator's services. It then provides a data transfer between thecompany and the user in the field. Telefonica O2 has implemented the latestversion of the BES server, 4.1., which fully supports the most prevalentstandards, such as XML, SOAP, and UDDI, ensures a high degree of security of alltransfers, and powerful developer's devices for the creation of personalapplications, offering users a robust tool for secure and full-value work withbusiness applications and documents. The BlackBerry service is intended primarily for the most demanding customers.The O2 Office Connector is a beneficial value added service that is designed forlarge as well as small to mid-sized firms and provides some of the BlackBerryfunctions. Telefonica O2 is offering two tariffs for use of BlackBerry services. The O2BlackBerry service consists of a data transfer volume of 4 MB for a monthly feeof CZK 499 (without VAT). For customers who travel abroad for business purposesfrequently, there is the O2 BlackBerry Roaming tariff. The monthly roaming feefor the customer comes out to CZK 1,499 (without VAT) and includes 4 MB of datatransfer abroad plus another 4 MB within the Czech Republic. The serviceactivation fee is CZK 495 (without VAT). For further information, please contact: MARTIN ZABKAPress SpokesmanTel: +420 271 463 359Fax: +420 271 469 896Email: martin.zabka@o2.com About Telefonica O2 Czech Republic Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, a.s., is the first integrated operator in theCzech Republic. It was formed on July 1, 2006 by the merger of the country'sleading fixed line operator, EESKY TELECOM, a.s., and the strongest Czech mobileoperator, Eurotel Praha, spol. s r.o., into a single telecommunications company.The organization currently operates nearly eight million lines, both fixed andmobile, making it one of the world's biggest integrated operators. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic offers the most comprehensive portfolio of voiceand data services in this country. Special attention is paid to the use ofgrowth potential, particularly in the data and Internet sectors. Telefonica O2Czech Republic operates the country's largest fixed and mobile network,including a unique 3rd generation network, CDMA (for data) and UMTS, enablingthe transport of voice, data and video. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic also offersthe largest network of WiFi hotspots in the country. About Telefonica Telefonica O2 Czech Republic is a member of a powerful international group,Telefonica S.A, which operates in 19 countries and whose customer base includesmore than 180 million clients worldwide. Telefonica currently ranks among theworld's most dynamic telecommunications companies with a strong position inWestern Europe and Latin America. In terms of market capitalization, Telefonica S.A. ranks among the globalleaders of the telecommunications industry. Its business activities areprimarily focused on fixed and mobile markets, with broadband regarded as a keyto successful development. About O2 Telefonica O2 Czech Republic is part of the O2 Group within Telefonica SA. Itwill adopt the O2 brand for all consumer-facing activities. O2 comprises mobile network operators in the UK and Ireland, along withintegrated fixed/mobile businesses in Germany and the Czech Republic. It alsoowns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses inthe UK and Germany respectively as well as having 100% ownership of Be, aleading UK fixed broadband provider. In addition, the group includes O2 Airwave,which supplies secure digital communications to the emergency services and otherpublic safety organisations. O2, a Telefonica company, is headquartered in Slough, UK, and has more than 35million customers across Europe. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange