Hi3G granted a 3G-licence

Press Release Stockholm, December 16, 2000 th Invitation to press meeting today, 16 December 12.00h Representatives of Hi3G will be available for questions and comments at Investor's premises, Arsenalsgatan 8C, Stockholm, from 12.00h. Hi3G granted one of four 3G-licences in Sweden. "We believe it is our combination of financial, technological and marketing strengths that formed the basis for us being granted one of the four 3G licences for Sweden," says Björn Svedberg, chairman of the board of Hi3G Access AB. Hi3G Access AB is jointly owned by Sweden's Investor AB (40%) and Hong Kong based, Hutchison Whampoa (60%). The licence that Hi3G obtained is for a nation-wide network, a so-called "national licence" which allows the company to operate a UMTS service. Hi3G's vision for third generation mobile communication is to provide the Swedish population with world-leading services for mobile, high-speed communication. Hi3G strategy will promote open competition and collaboration with third parties in the provision of services over the network. "We see 3G as a new medium that provides many new ways to communicate. The challenge now is to build the network and to reach the Swedish population with those services that the new technology makes possible. Hi3G is looking forward to working with everyone, who wants to make, and can make this a success", says Björn Svedberg. Sweden is an advanced and strategically important market for the future mobile communication in Europe. Therefore, we are planning to establish a European Centre for the development of services for third generation mobile communication in Sweden. >>> For further information: Hi3G Access AB Björn Svedberg, Chairman, tel: +46 8 545 01 777, e-mail: bs@kaw.se Investor AB Nils Ingvar Lundin, Managing Director, mobile: +46 70 514 20 49, e-mail: nilsingvar.lundin@investorab.com Pontus Ekman, Managing Director, mobile: +46 70 624 20 46, e-mail: pontus.ekman@investorab.com Hutchison Whampoa UK Edward Brewster, Hutchison3G UK, tel: +44 207 887 78 69, mobile: +44 7775 783 307 e-mail: edward.brewster@hutchison3g.com Hong Kong Laura Cheung, tel: +852 2128 1289, fax: +852 2128 1766, e-mail: laurac@hwl.com.hk Notes to the editors Investor AB, Sweden's largest holding company with total net asset value close to US$20 billion, is a leading shareholder in a number of global companies, including ABB, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Gambro, OM Gruppen, Saab, Scania, SEB and StoraEnso. In addition, through its New Investments arm, Investor has made a number of promising investments in early stage and growth companies in the United States, Asia and throughout Europe. Investor's largest shareholders are the Wallenberg family foundations and a number of mutual and pension funds. Headquartered in Stockholm, Investor also has offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Palo Alto, California. Hutchison Whampoa is a Hong Kong-based multinational conglomerate with a market capitalisation of US$53 billion. In 1999, consolidated turnover was over US$7.1 billion, and earnings after tax and exceptional items were approximately US$15.1 billion. With over 80,000 employees worldwide, Hutchison operates five core businesses in 24 countries: ports and related services; telecommunications and e-commerce; property and hotels; retail and manufacturing; and energy and infrastructure. Worldwide, the Group is one of the leading owners and operators of Internet and telecommunications infrastructure, offering a wide range of related services. These include fixed-line services, internet services, fiber optics broadband networks, mobile telephony (voice and data), paging, trunked mobile radio, VSAT and radio broadcasting services. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/12/16/20001216BIT00150/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/12/16/20001216BIT00150/bit0002.pdf