Orange signs Letter of Intent with Hi3G Access AB and Europolitan Vodafone regarding infrastructure co-operation

Orange signs Letter of Intent with Hi3G Access AB and Europolitan Vodafone regarding infrastructure co-operation Today Orange took a formal step towards co-operating with 3G Infrastructure Services AB - the established joint venture between Hi3G Access AB and Europolitan Vodafone to build and operate a 3G infrastructure. Through a Letter of Intent Orange is offered co- ownership in this venture. The co-operation only involves the building and operating of a joint UMTS-infrastructure in Sweden. The Letter of Intent gives Orange an offer to become a third partner of 3G Infrastructure Services AB, the joint venture newly formed by Hi3G Access AB and Europolitan Vodafone for the joint construction of a UMTS- infrastructure in Sweden. If Orange accepts the offer the three companies will be equal partners in the joint venture. The mission of 3G Infrastructure Services AB is - for its owners - to build and operate an UMTS-infrastructure covering up to 70 percent of the Swedish population. -The agreement marks our firm intention to, with maintained competition, build a high quality UMTS-infrastructure to the benefit of our customers, says Jeremy Sell, Managing Director of Orange Sweden. To 3G Infrastructure Services AB a co-operation between the three parties means higher cost efficiency and minimising the impact on the overall environment. The intended co-operation is fully in line with the regulations set out by The Swedish National Post and Telecom Agency, PTS, and the UMTS- license conditions of the companies involved. A fulfilment of the co- operation is pending decisions by the authorities concerned. 3G Infrastructure Services AB is a 50/50 joint venture between Hi3G Access AB and Europolitan Vodafone. The purpose of the company, as announced earlier, is to build and operate a joint Swedish UMTS- infrastructure except in the metropolitan areas of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. In these areas the companies will build their own networks. The companies will retain their operating independence including designing and delivering customer care, marketing and pricing of services and content. 3G Infrastructure Services AB will have its headquarters in the Stockholm area. For further information, please contact: Orange Ms. Cecilia Lindgren, Communications Manager Phone: + 46 (0)70 697 68 36 Europolitan Vodafone Mr. Bo Johannisson, Strategic business development Phone: +46 (0)708 33 18 04 Mr. Johan Holmgren, Press Relations Manager Phone: +46 (0) 455 331 000 Hi3G Mr. Niclas Lilja, Director Communications Phone: +46 (0) 708 45 70 90 About Orange Orange is one of the world's most advanced and fast-growing companies operating within wireless communication. With around 30 million customers, Orange is Europe's second largest mobile operator. Now Orange is rolling out networks for the third generation mobile telephony (UMTS), for example in Sweden. Orange Sweden AB is owned by a consortium formed by France Télécom, Bredband Mobil, Skanska, NTL and Schibsted (B2). www.orange.com or www.orangecommunications.nu . About Europolitan Vodafone Europolitan Vodafone is a mobile operator with a license to build a 3G mobile telecoms network. Our strength lies in our focus on the development of international services and on service and quality. Europolitan Vodafone employs some 1,400 people and is listed on the Attract 40 list of the OM Stock Exchange through Europolitan Holdings AB. The company's principal owner is the UK company Vodafone with 71 per cent of Europolitan Holdings. Private shareholders, investment companies and pension funds own the remaining 29 per cent. The Vodafone Group is represented on 5 continents and has around 80 million customers (proportional number of customers calculated on the basis of the ownership share). www.europolitan.se and www.vodafone.com. About Hi3G Hi3G is aiming to become Sweden's leading 3G-operator with innovative services and a high quality network. Our strength lies in the fact that we are a pure 3G company, with no baggage from old technologies such as GSM. Hi3G is a holder of a Swedish national UMTS-licence and is open for commercial co-operation. We expand rapidly supported by our owners, Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. (60%) and Investor AB (40%), who have a strong commitment and a solid network and industry track record worldwide. Through the Hutchison Group we are cooperating with holders of 3G- licences in Australia, Austria, Italy, and the UK. Hi3G will provide Sweden with full population coverage by the end of 2003. Please stay in touch and visit our site at www.hi3gaccess.se. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/16/20010516BIT00170/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/16/20010516BIT00170/bit0001.pdf