Nokia and T-Mobile reveal the Nokia 8801: luxury slider phone

The artistically inspired 8801 phone boasts stainless-steel strength and a distinguished design

June 14, 2006 -- Bellevue, Wash. and Irving, Texas, USA - Continuing to unveil unique handset designs with 'must-have' features and reliable service, Nokia and T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the availability of the distinctive Nokia 8801 phone online at www.t-mobile.com and at select T-Mobile retail stores.Immediately recognized as a hallmark of taste and elegance, the Nokia 8801 phone is crafted of the finest materials, including high-grade stainless steel, mineral glass and a precision sliding mechanism. An iconic expression of style, the Nokia 8801 phone is certain to be a favorite of today's mobile consumer.

"The bold design and robust feature set make the Nokia 8801 phone more than simply another handset, it's an experience," said John Clelland, senior vice president of segment marketing for T-Mobile USA. "We're excited to offer T-Mobile customers a unique device to go hand-in-hand with their lifestyle."

Nokia 8801 Slider for T-Mobile

The Nokia 8801 phone is a conversation starter with a slim stainless steel body and bright, colorful display that slides open with power and precision. Other great features include Bluetooth connectivity, an integrated SVGA camera to capture still images and video of the latest and greatest; tri-band functionality, a speakerphone, voice recognition and active slide - allowing calls to be answered or ended with a flick of a thumb.

"The Nokia 8801 phone is certainly a well-featured mobile phone - but it is the high level of craftsmanship and uncompromising materials that make it the ultimate object of desire," said Dirk Williamson, vice president of sales for Nokia. "The combination of the phone's award-winning design with T-Mobile's industry-recognized customer service will be an unbeatable draw for those consumers who demand the best of everything."

About T-Mobile USA

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is a member of the T-Mobile International group, the mobile telecommunications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. T-Mobile USA's GSM/GPRS voice and data networks in the United States (including roaming and other agreements) reach more than 268 million people. In addition, T-Mobile operates the largest carrier-grade, commercial wireless broadband network in the United States, providing Wi-Fi access at more than 7,400 public locations throughout the country, with further Wi-Fi access being made available at over 27,000 international roaming locations. For more information, visit the company Web site at www.t-mobile.com.
T-Mobile® is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.

About Nokia

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products such as mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.

Source: Nokia

Feature-rich Nokia 6233 3G phone starts shipping

June 14, 2006 -- Espoo, Finland - Nokia announced today that it has started deliveries of the Nokia 6233 phone, a classically designed 3G model tailored for work and entertainment.

Nokia 6233 3G phone

In a true case where business meets pleasure, this feature-rich device is ideal for eventful days at work or more relaxed days at home.This sleek 110-gram model offers a 2 megapixel camera, a large QVGA color screen, a digital music player, stereo speakers and a broad range of features and applications which take full advantage of WCDMA services.

"The Nokia 6233 brings the many benefits that 3G offers to a broader range of consumers," says Aage Snorgaard, Senior Vice President, Broad Appeal, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "This feature filled phone balances performance with a classic and sophisticated design to suit all occasions. As 3G gains even greater mass-market attraction, we are confident this product will be extremely popular with consumers."

Nokia 6233 3G phone

The latest Nokia model phone to feature the Series 40 Platform 3rd Edition, the Nokia 6233 ensures that 3G services and applications can be accessed easily and intuitively. Supporting the latest messaging, browsing, music and video standards, the Nokia 6233 features a brilliant 320 x 240 QVGA display, with an 'Active Standby Mode' that gives immediate access to the most-used applications.

In addition to having all the latest features to stay connected to work, the Nokia 6233 doesn't forget how to have fun. With exciting new 3G services, such as streaming multimedia audio and video content, consumers can download the latest business news as well as sports highlights of their favorite teams.

The Nokia 6233 has a talk time of up to 3 hours and a standby time of up to 2 weeks and is expected to retail for approximately 325 EUR before applicable taxes or subsidies.

About Nokia

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com

Full Nokia 6233 overview and technical specifications

Source: Nokia

Nokia powers SFR's HSDPA network in France

Nokia supplies HSDPA as part of extended radio network contract

June 14, 2006 -- Espoo, Finland - French operator SFR has launched its High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network in Paris and Southern France. Nokia's HSDPA solution allows SFR to operate its network more cost-efficiently and offer its customers data services at speeds of up to four times faster than current 3G speeds."We are committed to introducing broadband mobile data services to our customers. They will benefit from download data speeds up to 4 times faster than current speeds available, offering for the first time a mobile experience similar to current standard DSL rates. Streaming video is a superb example of the benefits that HSDPA will bring to consumers. Already last year we demonstrated HSDPA services such as high speed streaming video, music download and business applications together with Nokia, and now the service is available to our customers," says Paul Corbel, Chief Technical Officer, SFR. "We are very satisfied with Nokia's HSDPA solution and their support in enabling us to launch our HSDPA service in Paris and Southern France".

"The Nokia HSDPA solution enables SFR to leverage their new mobile data opportunities and deliver exciting high-speed services to their customers, says Olivier de Percin, Account Director, Networks, Nokia. "HSDPA users can clearly see how much faster the mobile data services, such as streaming video, are and how good the quality really is. Together with the new HSDPA Nseries devices, this HSDPA solution will bring to the mobile internet what PCs and broadband brought to the fixed internet and will widely enhance the consumer's experiences in multimedia."

Nokia has delivered the HSDPA solution to SFR as part of a radio network contract extended in May 2006. Nokia uses it's unique, multivendor Nokia NetAct(TM) network to ensure the quality of service for HSDPA and has provided managed services, consulting and integration services from its business solutions portfolio.

In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 59 customers to date. Nokia's high-performing HSDPA is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling cost-effective and fast rollout. In the first phase, Nokia HSDPA offers up to four times faster data services than current 3G, and consequently enhanced quality of service experience. Nokia is a leader in the HSDPA market, with over 20 contracts globally.

About SFR

With 17.3 million customers and 8,000 employees, SFR is the second largest mobile telecommunications operator in France and has been the market leader in terms of net sales (new customers) since 2003. Operating its own GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks, SFR is able to provide a complete range of mobile telephony and multimedia services, as well as mobile data solutions to its personal, SOHO and business customers. SFR has become the operator of choice for new uses of mobile phones, having been the first operator to launch 3G and 3G+ services on the French market, and now boasts 1.5 million exclusively 3G customers. The company is also a player on the fixed telecommunications market through its 34,9 % interest in neuf cegetel, the leading alternative operator on the French market. SFR benefits from a stable ownership structure, with two major shareholders, Vivendi (56%) and Vodafone (44%).

About Nokia

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.

Source: Nokia

Motorola technology to be used by Globo TV Brazil during the Football Word Cup coverage

MADRID - 13 June 2006 - Brazilian Globo TV will use the "3G NEWS Mobile Studio" solution to cover the World Cup information. The technology will allow additional breaking news with live streams from Motorola 3G handsets in case of important facts and where the regular broadcast infrastructure, by satellite or optic fiber, is not available.
Createcna, multimedia development company based in Madrid, created 3G News Mobile Studio (awarded with the Pick Hit at IBC'05) to be used with Motorola advanced features prototyped in 3G hansets. Now the solutions is migrated as trial concept of IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) based combinational service improving quality and features, as zoom and swapping camera, to use the mobile phone Motorola V3x as a handheld real time TV camera.

The 3G News Mobile Studio is the server which allows the reception and recording of six simultaneous video streams. The chosen stream signal is converted into digital video signal, which could be used in a regular broadcast, normally with a graphic layer behind and an image inserted in a picture-in-picture window, occupying 1/4 of the screen.
The use of Motorola IMS network infrastructure for this service trial showcases how IMS deployment will contribute to create new enterprise services based in multimedia, step further in the "seamless mobility" Motorola vision.

About Globo TV

To produce high quality television that has achieved worldwide recognition, Globo TV takes its inspiration from Brazil and the Brazilians. More than 90% of the channel’s programming is produced internally, representing the equivalent of two thousand feature length films in audience-leading soap operas, mini-series, shows and comedy programs shown here and in more than 130 countries.

To keep the public informed, the channel has five hours of live TV journalism per day. Its 121 stations, 116 of which are affiliates, transmit information, education and entertainment to 99.7% of the municipal districts in Brazil, integrating the country and valuing its culture and its people.

Globo TV’s commitment to Brazil goes far beyond the screen. The channel promotes social merchandising, educational and public utility campaigns. These include Criança Esperança, which through Unesco invests in social projects; Ação Global, driving citizenship, education and medical assistance in all the states in the country; and Amigos da Escola, through which the company coordinates volunteer work in more than 30,000 public schools nationwide

About Createcna

Createcna is a company dedicated to developing software and systems for audiovisual production and digital televisión enviroments. It offers solutions, applications and services in the areas of technology, engineering and consulting.

The company has a product line in the video and image field, and also has a service line for developing software, starting from a know – how that permits adapting the applications to the needs and budgets of the clients.

Its products include digital asset management software, a 24 hours compliance recording applications, and a quality control system for digital television. The service area also carries out engineering and consulting projects, as well as developing customised software in other industries, such as defence, surveillance or mobile. www.createcna.com

About Motorola

Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit www.motorola.com

Source: Motorola

CSR partners with Callpod® for Bluetooth® conferencing technology

Cambridge, UK – June 14, 2006 – CSR plc (LSE: CSR.L) today announced that Callpod’s scalable-patented reference design uses multiple BlueCore4 chips to enable several Bluetooth-enabled headsets to connect to a single mobile conference call device. Available as a standalone mobile accessory unit, Callpod is also developing an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) to allow its technology to be directly embedded into any device. By taking advantage of CSR’s expertise in wireless systems design, Callpod can offer its customers market-leading Bluetooth technology with data transfer rates of 3 Mbps, low power consumption and industry-leading interoperability. Callpod Technology is an audio sharing platform designed for mobile handsets, PDAs, MP3 players and notebook computers that allow multiple users, connecting with Bluetooth-enabled headsets, to conduct conference calls or simply share mobile content anywhere. Callpod’s proprietary design and firmware allows CSR’s BlueCore4 chips to process multiple audio streams, enabling up to five Bluetooth headsets to pair with a Callpod enabled device. Callpod users can then take part simultaneously in a full-duplex conference call as well as listening to streaming audio from a Bluetooth-enabled MP3 device. Callpod technology is also Skype compatible, and enables group-to-group calling for the traditionally peer-to-peer VoIP service.

Designed specifically for consumer applications such as digital cameras, PDAs, handsets and MP3 players, BlueCore4 is a single-chip Bluetooth radio and baseband IC that achieves data transfer rates of up to three-times faster than v1.2 Bluetooth devices and thus lower power consumption as the radio is active for shorter bursts. The devices also offers full backwards compatibility with existing Bluetooth v1.1 and v1.2 products, meaning that devices using CSR technology can easily interoperate with a full range of Bluetooth headsets. BlueCore4 also incorporates auto-calibration and built-in self-test (BIST) routines to simplify development, type approval and production tests.

Mark Buckingham, VP of Sales and Marketing for Callpod commented, "No other technology like this exists today. Callpod offers device manufacturers the opportunity to provide the most advanced and innovative mobile audio content sharing solution on the market. By combining Callpod technology with CSR’s leading Bluetooth silicon and software, manufacturers can design a complete Bluetooth conferencing device in the shortest possible time while minimising costs.� Mark added, “CSR’s support and expertise have been instrumental and we’re confident that customers using our reference design will be using the very best solution on the market.�

Karen Parnell, Consumer Marketing Manager for CSR, commented, “Callpod technology opens up many new and exciting opportunities. It’s another example of the powerful applications Bluetooth brings to the market. Callpod wanted to offer device manufacturers a complete reference design that focused on the most advanced technology and highest quality of voice and audio communication. Callpod approached CSR in order to integrate Bluetooth v2.0+EDR silicon and software with its conferencing technology.� Parnell, added, “CSR’s leading wireless and voice streaming technology was the perfect partner for Callpod with the two companies producing a reference design that can be easily integrated into handsets, PDAs, music players and other consumer devices without time, cost or design constraints.�

Source: CSR

Alltel Wireless unveils new 'My Circle' television commercial

Sequel to popular 'Icons' spot features wireless characters bowling together

June 13, 2006 -- LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Alltel Wireless, America's largest network, unveiled the creative behind its latest television commercial. The 30-second spot, titled "Icons - Bowling Alley," is the sequel to Alltel's popular "Icons," which was created to support the company's exclusive "My Circle" calling feature. Similar to its predecessor, "Icons - Bowling Alley" stars an Alltel Wireless employee and look-alikes of famous wireless icons that serve as new members of the employee's calling "Circle." In this episode, the Alltel Wireless employee decides to "hang out" with his new Circle members by inviting them out for an evening of bowling."The positive response to 'My Circle' and our 'Icons' advertising campaign has been very encouraging," said Frank O'Mara, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Alltel Wireless. "Customers have told us how much they love the freedom and flexibility of choosing who they call for free with 'My Circle.' Our 'Icons' campaign is a fun and creative way of communicating these benefits, and we're thrilled to debut this new spot."

The spot, which began airing nationally June 8, consists of the following sequence of events:

* An Alltel Wireless employee is shown at a bowling alley, where he addresses his new Circle members, "Since you're all in 'My Circle,' I figuredÅ we should hang out."
* The Circle members are shown when one of the look-alike characters retorts, "This whole thing is crazy!"
* The Alltel Wireless employee explains, "Now that Alltel Wireless customers can call any number on any network for free, we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."
* Another look-alike character then emerges from his seat and states, "Might as well enjoy it." He proceeds to reach for a bowling ball, and mistakenly grabs the perfectly circular head of a third look-alike character and rolls it down the lane for a strike. The headless orange character then hops around as the Alltel Wireless employee watches with disdain.
* The traditional Alltel Wireless voiceover says, "Introducing 'My Circle' from Alltel Wireless. You choose the numbers you call for free. Any number, any network."
* The animated orange character's head rolls up the ball return to end the spot.

The "Icons" and "Icons - Bowling Alley" executions will air nationally on TNT, TBS, VH1, MTV, Comedy Central, E!, FX, Adult Swim and Spike as well as on more than 350 local network affiliates in more than 60 DMA's.

The "My Circle" feature is exclusive to Alltel Wireless and is not offered by any other national carrier. "My Circle" allows Alltel Wireless customers to get unlimited free calls to and from the 10 phone numbers that matter most to them at any time of day. The numbers can be any combination of wireless, home and office numbers located anywhere in the U.S., regardless of local phone company or wireless carrier.

Alltel Wireless customers on select rate plans of $59.95 or higher can sign up for "My Circle" online at alltel.com/myaccount. Once registered, customers have the freedom to change their numbers online at their convenience as often as they like - for free.

New and existing customers can find out more about Alltel's exclusive "My Circle" feature by visiting their local Alltel Wireless retail store or by logging onto www.alltelcircle.com.

Alltel is a customer-focused communications company with more than 15 million customers in 37 states and nearly $10 billion in annual revenues.

Source: Alltel

Sony Ericsson and Orange Announce Exclusive Download of Christina Aguilera's New Single "Ain't No Other Man"

Download Christina Aguilera's new single exclusively on the Orange World portal with Sony Ericsson's Walkman® phones

Sony Ericsson and Orange today announce that Christina Aguilera's yet-to-be-released single "Aint no other man" will be exclusively available via the Orange World portal for two weeks from June 14th.

The announcement covers all Orange European markets and marks the second stage of a nine-month joint Sony Ericsson and Orange marketing relationship based around a sponsorship deal with multi platinum selling and Grammy Award winning Sony BMG artist Christina Aguilera for the single release, album and European Tour.The single is the first track from Christina Aguilera's eagerly awaited new album "Back to Basics" due for release in August. The track won't be available for general release in Europe until the end of June. In addition to the full track single, Orange customers in selected markets will have four weeks exclusive access to the video clip from 20th June and private concerts for Orange customers over the summer.

The Sony Ericsson and Orange partnership which was first announced in March covers not only the sponsorship deal but also the rollout of Sony Ericsson Walkman® phones across Orange European markets in 2006 and integration of core business areas.

"Differentiation through hardware and content whilst offering ARPU maximising opportunities for our customers is paramount for Sony Ericsson's strategy. With a two week exclusive window to market the new single and video "Ain't no other man" Orange World and Sony Ericsson Walkman® phones continue to expand the distribution channels for compelling content available anytime, anywhere to the consumer " says Janosch Brengel, Head of Marketing Global Customer Unit FT/Orange at Sony Ericsson.

Music is at the heart of Orange's mobile entertainment strategy. Offering customers a window of exclusivity for a music track demonstrates both the effectiveness of mobile as a channel to promote, market and retail music and the natural affinity between mobile devices and music.

Orange customers will further benefit from the partnership with Sony Ericsson as all handsets within the Sony Ericsson Walkman® phone portfolio, including the recently announced W850i and W710i, will be customised to fit with Orange's successful Signature strategy. Enabling Orange customers to benefit from the enriched mobile music experience of Sony Ericsson Walkman® phones, while enjoying the consistent and ease of use interface of Orange's Signature approach.

Source: Orange

Cingular Offers Microsoft Direct Push Technology for the Cingular 8125, 2125 Devices

Companies Introduce Easy-to-Deploy, Enterprise-Class Push E-mail Experience and Solution-Specific Rate Plans

ATLANTA AND REDMOND, WA., JUNE 13, 2006 – Cingular Wireless will offer its business customers access to corporate e-mail via Direct Push Technology, a feature of Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 5.0 with the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) upgrade, beginning on June 19, 2006.The solution initially will be available on two of the hottest wireless devices in the market today: the Cingular 8100 series Pocket PC and Cingular 2125 Smartphone. Direct Push Technology delivers an enhanced mobile experience to organizations that use Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 by pushing updates to e-mail, calendar items, contacts and tasks as they arrive directly from the Exchange Server to the devices. MSFP additionally enhances these Windows Mobile-powered Cingular Wireless devices by delivering improved device management and added security features for IT administrators, like over-the-air device password policy enforcement and remote wipe of the device in case of loss or theft.

Corporate customers will be able to access e-mail and other Microsoft Office Outlook®-related functions via new solution-specific rate plans. These rate plans will identify Direct Push Technology customers and qualify them for specialized customer service and technical support, a key part of the Cingular Wireless e-mail offering.

“Microsoft Direct Push Technology delivers a great wireless email capability that is seamlessly integrated with Exchange Server 2003. This greatly improves the ability of Cingular corporate customers to rapidly deploy wireless e-mail by simplifying the enterprise messaging architecture,� said Michael Woodward, Executive Director of Mobile Professional Solutions, for Cingular Wireless. “We believe this important and powerful addition to Cingular’s business solutions portfolio will lead to broader adoption of wireless e-mail in the enterprise sector and further extend Cingular’s worldwide market share leadership in this space.�

“Microsoft and Cingular’s strong integration demonstrates our commitment to providing the latest technologies and tools for success to mobile professionals as they discover new and different ways of living the mobile lifestyle,� said Scott Horn, General Manager, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. “Microsoft’s Direct Push Technology upgrade creates fast, on-the-go access to essential business information, such as e-mail, calendar data and tasks - empowering people to stay connected when away from the office.�

Easy Deployment

The enterprise-grade solution is simple to deploy for new and existing customers. For new B2B customers, the client software is included on the Cingular 8100 Series and Cingular 2125 devices and the server software is included in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2. Users of devices running Windows Mobile 5.0 simply plug in the same credentials they would use for Outlook Web Access, and their e-mail and other Outlook information is delivered automatically. All existing customers can download the upgrade for free from the Cingular website.

The new combined offering includes the following features:

• Direct Push Technology – This innovation pushes e-mail to Windows Mobile-powered Cingular devices automatically. It is designed to deliver time sensitive e-mail as it arrives and helps ensure that device battery life is not drained by unnecessary synchronization cycles.

• Task Synchronization – Outlook tasks are automatically pushed to the device, along with e-mail, calendar entries and contacts.

• Global Address Lookup – Over-the-air look-up of addresses enables a mobile user to send email to anyone in the company’s Global Address List, even if they do not have the recipient’s contact details on their device.

Enhanced Security and Device Management

Enhancements to security and device management include remote policy enforcement, remote device wipe, password enforcement, native S/MIME support, certificate-based authentication and FIPS 140-2 certification.

Cingular’s offering of Microsoft’s Direct Push Technology meets the needs of companies that depend on wireless e-mail for mission critical communications. It has been thoroughly tested for certification on Cingular’s nationwide* EDGE network, the largest national high-speed wireless data network in the U.S., and is supported by Cingular’s data help desk, resulting in a highly reliable enterprise-grade solution.

Popular Devices

The Cingular 8100 series and 2125 are cost-effective converged high-speed, global communications devices that appeal to a broad range of wireless users, from individual consumers to larger companies. In addition to their Windows Mobile 5.0 capabilities, they feature the best in connectivity, productivity, and mobility with EDGE, Bluetooth®, quad-band international roaming, and integrated Wi-Fi on the Cingular 8100 Series Pocket PCs. Cingular’s EDGE network is available in 13,000 cities and towns and along nearly 40,000 miles of major highways.

Both devices also provide a rich multimedia experience to enjoy music and video featuring an integrated multimedia suite with Windows Media® Player 10 Mobile, stereo headset jack, and 1.3 megapixel camera. The devices support multiple audio formats including MP3, AMR, AAC, WAV and Windows Media Audio (WMA), as well as MPEG-4 video streaming. A mini-SD expansion card slot allows the user to add memory for storing music, games, photos and video.

Pricing and Availability

Microsoft Direct Push Technology will be available through Cingular’s B2B sales organization starting on June 19. For the Cingular 8100 Series Pocket PC, the Cingular Microsoft Direct Push Technology data plan is $44.99 with a qualifying voice plan for unlimited Internet and e-mail access. For the Cingular 2125 Smartphone, the data plan is $29.99 with a qualifying voice plan for unlimited Internet and e-mail access. Both plans include access to specialized tier 1 and 2 support.

Cingular customers that already have deployed Cingular 8100 Series or Cingular 2125 devices can download the MSFP software update for free from www.cingular.com/microsoft starting on June 19.

# # #

* Not available in all areas.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, IN THIS SUMMARY.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 55.8 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation – the ALLOVER™ network – and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(r), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/

Source: Cingular Wireless

Tele2 Acquires Minority Stakes In Its Russian Mobile Operations In Omsk

Stockholm - Tele2 AB (publ), Europe's leading alternative telecoms operator, today announced that, in line with its long-term strategy for Russia, it has acquired the remaining minority stakes in Siberian Cellular Communications, in the Russian region of Omsk.After this acquisition, Tele2 has increased its holding in Siberian Cellular Communications from 70% to 100%. Tele2's operations in Omsk have been very successful and the company is the region's leading mobile operator with a market share of over 35%.

Source: Tele2

Fair Wholesale Access Vital for Competition in Canada’s Telecom Business Market, says MTS Allstream CEO

Toronto, ON – June 13, 2006 – In a keynote address today at the 2006 Canadian Telecom Summit, MTS Allstream CEO Pierre Blouin said that in order for Canada to get the full benefit of competition -- particularly in the national business market -- competitors like MTS Allstream must be given fair and reasonable wholesale access to the public network infrastructure controlled by the incumbent providers.In his address Blouin said, “For competition and innovation to thrive in the national business market, Canada needs a regulatory environment that creates a level playing field.�

Last year, MTS Allstream paid approximately $250 million to the former monopolies for access to the local network connections that link MTS Allstream’s advanced national network to its customers.

These local access roads – the public network infrastructure – were built by the former monopolies over the course of decades with essentially no risk in a heavily regulated, guaranteed, rate-of-return environment. Nonetheless, where regulation is absent, they charge competitors access rates that range from 50 per cent to as high as 300 per cent over and above their true costs plus a reasonable rate of return.

“The potential for competition to drive the rapid innovation offered by IP and other emerging technologies will only be realized if the requirements necessary for sustainable competition are present,� said Blouin. “The first is cost-based access for competitors to the public network infrastructure. And the second is meaningful consequences for incumbents that fail to meet mandated quality of service levels for competitors accessing the public network infrastructure. If these requirements are satisfied, competition and innovation in the business market will thrive. If not, competition and innovation will be in jeopardy.�

Blouin noted that MTS Allstream supports many of the goals outlined in the telecom policy report, including deregulation, but he emphasized, “If innovation, productivity and competition are Canada’s policy goals, then we cannot have a regulatory framework that allows the largest players to be the gatekeepers to competition in the business market. Without fair and sustainable competition, the pace of innovation in Canadian telecommunications will slow.�

About MTS Allstream

MTS Allstream is one of Canada’s leading national communication solutions providers, delivering innovative products and services through its Consumer Markets and Enterprise Solutions divisions. Our Consumer Markets division serves residential and business customers in Manitoba with a full suite of wireline voice, high-speed Internet and data, next generation wireless, directory, digital television, security and alarm monitoring services. Our Enterprise Solutions division provides national business customers with a world-class portfolio of IP-based connectivity, managed network services, and professional services. MTS Allstream's extensive national broadband fibre optic network spans more than 24,300 kilometres, and provides international connections through strategic partnerships and interconnection agreements with other international service providers. Our Common Shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (trading symbol: MBT). For more information, please visit: www.mtsallstream.com.

Source: MTS Allstream