Leuven – Belgium, July 18 2005 – Option N.V. (Euronext: OPTI, OTC: OPNVY), the wireless technology company, today announced that it has been selected by leading telecommunications supplier Telefónica Móviles Espana to supply two wireless data cards for the operator’s mobile professional customers: the GlobeTrotter FUSION™ and the GlobeTrotter 3G. Telefónica’s choice for both products can be considered as an additional recognition that Option’s product portfolio is one of the broadest in the industry.
In a market where the business requirements of the mobile professional can vary widely, Telefónica’s mobile business users now have a choice between a high-end 3G/GPRS/WLAN data card (GlobeTrotter FUSION™) or the entry-level 3G/GPRS data card (GlobeTrotter 3G).
“We are delighted to have Telefónica Móviles as a new customer,” says Option’s CEO Jan Callewaert. “This agreement is important for us because it is the result of the excellent partnership we have with the FreeMove alliance (see below), and most members of the alliance are already sourcing their wireless data cards from Option. We see our broad product portfolio, operator centric customization capabilities, and excellence in quality, as the real strengths of our business offer. I am looking forward to a long-term and fruitful relationship with Telefónica.”
Telefónica Móviles is part of the Telefónica Group (Madrid, New York: TEM), one of the world’s top telecommunications companies with a client-base of over 100 million customers in a potential market of 500 million. It is the incumbent operator in Spain, with more than 19 million fixed and mobile telephony customers. The group also has the largest percentage of business outside its home market, making it a reference point in the Spanish/Portuguese speaking world. Telefónica has been a stable presence in Latin America for 14 years. It ranks as the number one operator in the region, with over 47 million cellular customers in addition to offering integral communications solutions for businesses.
Telefónica Móviles is a member of the FreeMove alliance, www.freemovealliance.com. Together with Telecom Italia Mobile, Orange and T-Mobile, the alliance is the number one network provider in all main European countries reaching 170 million customers in 21 countries. The FreeMove alliance is committed to using its collective scale, strength and expertise to deliver greater choice, flexibility and transparency.
On 3G networks the GlobeTrotter FUSION™ and the GlobeTrotter 3G data cards enable broadband connection to the internet at data speeds of up to 384 Kbps. Move within range of a public WiFi hotspot, the corporate wireless LAN or your home wireless network, and the GlobeTrotter FUSION™ 3G/WLAN card provides connection at speeds up to 54 Mbps. In areas where 3G or WiFi services are not available both the GlobeTrotter FUSION™ and the GlobeTrotter 3G will supply reliable and secure data connection via GPRS services.
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 16 317 411
E-mail: d.ros@option.com
Frederic Convent, CFO
Tel + 32 16 317 411
E-mail: investor@option.com
For more information about the company, visit us at www.option.com