Leuven – Belgium, August 24 2005 – Option N.V. (Euronext: OPTI, OTC: OPNVY), the wireless technology company, today announced that 3 Scandinavia (www.tre.se) has chosen the GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ as its wireless broadband data card for the Swedish and Danish markets. The GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ data card will be sold under 3’s brand and product shipments will commence next month. The selection by 3 in Scandinavia for Option’s GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ product follows the decision earlier this year by Hutchison 3G Austria to launch the same data card for its local market.
3 Scandinavia focuses its activities on mobile services delivering 3G mobile multimedia and communications under the brand “3” in Sweden and Denmark, offering a convergence of media, information and telephony to enable live video calls, multimedia content and entertainment to its mobile users. In Sweden and Denmark 3 is owned by Hutchison Whampoa (60%) and Investor AB (40%), who have solid network and industry track records worldwide. 3 is building mobile multimedia services together with other Hutchison Whampoa companies in Australia, Austria, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, and the United Kingdom. 3 also holds a UMTS license in Norway.
The GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD™ is the world’s first 5-band wireless data card to combine 3G UMTS at 2100 MHz for EMEA markets with Quad band GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 MHz for worldwide markets within 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
Tel + 32 (0) 16 317 411
E-mail: investor@option.com