Leuven – Belgium, June 20 2005 – Option N.V. (Euronext: OPTI, OPIN.BR), the wireless technology company, today announced that Hutchison 3G Austria or 3 (www.drei.com) has chosen the GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ as wireless broadband data card for the Austrian market. The data card will be sold under 3’s brand.
Hutchison 3G Austria is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong based Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. The company delivers third-generation mobile multimedia and communications services under the 3 brand in Austria, offering a convergence of media, information and telephony to enable live video calls, multimedia content and entertainment while on the move. As of March 2005 the company served more than 240,000 customers. 3 services are available from sister companies in Australia, UK, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy and Sweden. 3 also holds UMTS licenses in Ireland and Norway.
The GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ was the world’s first 5-band wireless data card combining 3G UMTS at 2100 MHz for EMEA markets and Quad band GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 MHz for worldwide markets in a single PC data card. On a 3G network, the GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ enables a connection to the internet at data speeds of up to 384kbps. In areas where 3G service coverage is not available the data card continues to provide a reliable and secure data connection over the widely available GPRS service.
About Option
Option NV (www.option.com), the wireless technology company, is a leading innovator in the design, development and manufacture of 3G WCDMA (HSDPA and UMTS), EDGE, GPRS, GSM and WLAN technology products for wireless connectivity solutions. Option has built up an enviable reputation for creating exciting products that enhance the performance and functionality of wireless communications. Option’s headquarters are in Leuven, Belgium. The company has Research & Development in Leuven, a Software and Applications development centre in Adelsried (Germany) and an ISO 9002 production engineering and logistics facility in Cork, Ireland.
For more information please contact
Douglas Ros, Vice President Business Development & Marketing
Tel +32 (0)16 317 411
E-mail: d.ros@option.com
Frederic Convent, CFO and General Counsel
Tel + 32 (0) 16 317 411
E-mail: investor@option.com
About 3
Hutchison 3G Austria is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited (“HWL”). Based in Hong Kong, HWL has been granted an UMTS license in November 2000 to operate third generation mobile services in Austria. In May 2003, Hutchison 3G Austria launched the first purely mobile multimedia in the Austrian market under the brand “3” and has already acquired the status of UMTS market leader with a total of 240,000 customers (as of March 2005). 3 is a convergence of telecommunication, internet and classic media, providing innovative multimedia products and services for mobile usage (e.g. video call, video clips, etc.) and conventional mobile communication services (e.g. voice calls, SMS, MMS).
Questions toMag. Maritheres Paul
Company spokesperson
Hutchison 3G Austria Gmb
Tel.: +43 (0) 50660 33700
3Mobile: +43 (0) 660 3773773
Fax: +43 (0) 50660 10200
Email: maritheres.paul@drei.com
Web: www.drei.at/Presse