Number of T-Mobile customers using MMS reaches one million

• The number of MMS sent last December increased by 330 percent year-on-year
• T-Mobile expects further significant growth in MMS traffic
• 300 kB MMS are supported by around 20 types of phones
• Further simplification of non-voice services: customers no longer have to activate GPRS themselves

Prague, 10 February 2005 - Several months after T-Mobile had welcomed its millionth contract customer, another mark was exceeded, this time in terms of multimedia messages. As of today, T-Mobile registers a million customers with active MMS service. At the same time, MMS traffic has grown significantly: The number of multimedia messages sent by customers increased 330 percent last December compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of customers who sent at least one MMS in December 2004 grew 310 percent year-on-year. With active MMS service, it is possible not only to send and receive multimedia messages but also to use other services such as MMS Info and Downloads.

The number MMS-enabled phone owners in the T-Mobile network is over one million, as not all of them have activated MMS so far. It proves that owning an MMS phone, which is necessary for the use of the service, is becoming commonplace. "During this year and next, we expect a significant growth in MMS traffic, as the number of MMS-enabled phones among users will increase. Today, customers don't have to think about whether the person they want to send a MMS to has an MMS-enabled telephone as much as they had to at the beginning of the service. This trend is going to continue," says the company's press spokesman Jiří Hájek.
 
Since the end of last year, customers have been able to send much larger MMS - around 20 types of phones currently support messages of up to 300 kB. One large MMS can include, for example, ten photographs taken by a MMS phone. For this year, T-Mobile has again prepared several changes which will make the use of the service even easier and more pleasant. For example, as of the beginning of the year the confirmations that the MMS has been delivered or read are free of charge and customers thus pay only for sent MMS according to their tariff. Moreover, for greater convenience of customers, the phones sold in the T-Mobile distribution network are already set up for the MMS service. Customers only have to activate the service either upon purchasing the phone at a Retail Shop, through the My T-Mobile service, or through the Infoline. Customers who buy their phone elsewhere can use the Configurator service which sets the device up for MMS automatically and free of charge in a few simple steps. The Configurator service is available at http://t-mobile.cz/konfigurator.

With an MMS-enabled phone, customers can receive and send MMS; if they have a phone with a camera, they can take a picture, add an audio or text comment and send it to their friends any time. With active MMS, customers can also use other services based on the MMS format. Thanks to the MMS Info service, they can receive on their mobiles up-to date domestic and foreign news from politics, economics, sport and culture. Furthermore, the Downloads service offers a wide range of MMS motifs such as wallpapers or cards that can be used as decoration for the phone's display or ordered as a present for a friend.

Nevertheless, the number of customers with activated GPRS service is even significantly higher than the number of users with active MMS service (note: any user who has active MMS also has active GPRS). Starting in February, T-Mobile brings to its customers something new in this area as well: new customers will have the service activated automatically and thus they can connect to the internet or wap via GPRS immediately. Current customers who so far do not have active GPRS will have it activated automatically within the next six months. The lowest GPRS tariff without a monthly fee will be set up for all customers, and so if they do not wish to use data-transfer services, the automatic activation will not affect them at all. Another advantage of T-Mobile GPRS is the possibility to use the new EDGE technology without taking any further steps. This fastest data-transfer technology within GSM works with all EDGE-enabled telephones and it can currently be used in six Czech cities.

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T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.