Leuven, Belgium – September 15, 2006 – Option N.V. (Euronext: OPTI; OTC: OPNVY), the wireless technology company, today announced that Orange France has selected the GlobeSurfer® ICON, the GlobeTrotter HSDPA and the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA as part of its new HSDPA (3G+) offering. The products provide French desktop and laptop users with internet access via Orange’s HSDPA network using either an elegantly designed USB device or data cards. When installed with Orange‘s Business Everywhere software all three products offer straightforward access to email, office applications and the Internet. The products will be sold under the Orange brand as “Modem USB Option ICON 3G+”, “Fusion 3G+” and “Option GlobeTrotter 3G+”
Orange France is the French subsidiary of the Orange Group, which delivers a broad range of voice and data communication services to some 57 million customers in 17 countries. The Orange Group is part of France Télécom (Euronext – NYSE: FTE), one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators serving, as at 30 September 2005, over 130 million customers on five continents. Within the Orange Group the Orange brand operates in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Thailand, the Ivory Coast, the Dominican Republic, Cameroon, Botswana and Madagascar. The Orange group also has controlled operations in Belgium (Mobistar), and a joint controlling interest in Egypt (MobiNil). The group has minority interests in Portugal (Optimus) and Austria, (One).
GlobeSurfer® ICON, announced at the 3GSM World Congress last February, is a new breed of wireless device that delivers simple and fast wireless broadband connectivity for consumer or business applications whether at home or at work. With data speed comparable to DSL, the GlobeSurfer® ICON connects, and is powered, through any Desktop or Laptop USB port. Available for mobile operators to supply ‘off-the-shelf’, GlobeSurfer® ICON can be tailored with pre-configured network settings providing virtually instantaneous broadband access to Internet, email, instant messaging and video conferencing applications. GlobeSurfer® ICON supports numerous features to enable multiple service offerings such as network lock, cell lock, and home-zoning.
Over an HSDPA network, GlobeSurfer® ICON enables connection to the Internet at data speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. In areas where HSDPA service is not available GlobeSurfer® ICON can connect over 3G UMTS at up to 384 kbps, or quad-band EDGE/GPRS at up to 247 kbps.
The GlobeTrotter HSDPA and GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA are best of breed PC data card solutions bringing fast broadband wireless capability to laptops by combining HSDPA UMTS, EDGE, and GPRS in a single PC Card package. The FUSION series also incorporates WLAN technologies.
On HSDPA networks the GlobeTrotter HSDPA and the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA data cards enable broadband connection to the internet at data speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. Move within range of a public WiFi hotspot, the corporate wireless LAN or a home wireless network, and the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA, with integrated WLAN/Wi-Fi functionality, provides connection at speeds up to 54 Mbps. In areas where HSDPA or WiFi services are not available both the GlobeTrotter HSDPA and the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA will supply reliable and secure data connection over the 3G UMTS at up to 384 kbs, EDGE (up to 247 kbs) and GPRS at up to 85.6 kbs.
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), a Wireless Router development centre in Stockholm (Sweden), an ISO 9002 production engineering and logistics facility in Cork, Ireland and sales & support offices in US, Japan and Taiwan.
For more information please contact:
Douglas Ros, Vice President Business Development & Marketing Option
Tel +32 (0)16 317 411, E-mail: d.ros@option.com
Frederic Convent, CFO Option
Tel + 32 (0) 16 317 411, E-mail: investor@option.com